A few years ago, Meghan Markle teased in an interview that she had big plans to return to Instagram after having had to disable her Instagram account in order to become a working royal. Now, the Duchess of Sussex has finally made her official return. On New Year’s Day 2025, Meghan shared her first post — though people had spotted the “@meghan” account months ago and had a feeling it might belong to her.

Now that Meghan is active on Instagram, her net worth could soar thanks to the influencer effect.

Meghan Markle could see massive brand deals now that she is back on Instagram

The age of social media advertising is upon us. It seems that any person with more than 10,000 followers is being offered brand deals, which are essentially posts from influencers that advertise a certain brand or product in exchange for money. Rumor has it that some of the stars with the biggest followings rake in upward of $1 million per paid post. Kylie Jenner, for example, has nearly 400 million followers and makes an estimated $2.4 million per post, according to Glewee.

Meghan’s following grew exponentially in the 24 hours after she shared her first post. She gained more than 400,000 followers overnight, and considering her previous @sussexroyal account with Harry had 10 million followers at one point, it’s safe to say she’ll end up somewhere in that follower range. If Meghan gets some brand deals, she could make more than $1 million per post thanks to having such a famous name and likeness. Even just a few brand deals per year could make her an extra $5 million.

It’s unclear how Meghan will use her Instagram

Prior to meeting Prince Harry, Meghan ran a lifestyle blog called “The Tig,” where she shared all of her favorite fashion and home items, travel stories, and more. It’s possible that this new Instagram will focus on Meghan’s relatability, bringing back that lifestyle aspect, and humanizing her a bit.

On the other hand, the account could be used for business purposes, similarly to how Harry and Meghan’s royal Instagram account was previously used. It’s possible Meghan’s team will highlight her appearances, charitable endeavors, and other adventures in order to build her persona as a businesswoman. Perhaps it will be a little bit of both, but fans will have to follow to find out.