Another day of waiting to see if the Duchess of Sussex will be giving birth. I realize I’ve created this Meg Wait for myself: my witchy sixth sense told me on Sunday that the Sussex Baby would be coming this week or the coming weekend. If Meghan makes it to May, I will be shook. For what it’s worth, it looks like Meghan’s good friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin announced that he’ll be in the UK through May 5th. Is he camping out in Windsor so he can do Meghan’s makeup for the photo-stroll with the baby?
Meanwhile, the SussexRoyal Instagram account currently has 4.6 million followers, which is probably a record setting amount for the first two weeks of existence. KensingtonRoyal still has 7.6 million followers though… so Meg fans better get on it. I imagine the numbers for SussexRoyal will explode when they post the Baby Sussex photo though. Anyway, given all this talk about the successful launch of the new IG, many are wondering if Meghan is writing the posts herself:
The Duchess of Sussex is eagerly awaiting the birth of her first child, but eagle-eyed royal fans are convinced that, rather than putting her feet up, Meghan is busy on social media. Royal watchers have gone into a frenzy after spotting captions on the new @SussexRoyal Instagram account that they believe have been written by Meghan.
Fans fans have been quick to spot Americanised spellings, as well as dollar signs and American English in the captions, and claim this points to a US native writing them. Meghan, 37, and Prince Harry, 34, recently thanked fans for donating to their chosen charities in honour of Baby Sussex, and one post about Baby2Baby contains references to ‘cribs’ and ‘diapers’. Another post uses the US spelling ‘organization’, rather than ‘organisation’.
Their new Communications person is a British-American woman who would likely use American terminology and spellings too. But I think the fans are right – Meghan is writing the Instagram posts. She had reportedly been complaining about wanting to have more of a voice in how she communicates as a royal, and it looks like she found a way. She’s found a way to communicate directly with fans while still being shielded by the “communications office.” Also: it’s hilarious to me that the KensingtonRoyal IG account has started copying the Sussex-style of longer posts.
Photos courtesy of Instagram and Backgrid.
It is a little bit funny that KP’s Instagram is now doing the long posts too. That’s all I came here to say! The baby wait continues!
If you look at KP’s Instagram they actually have some long captions that predates the Sussex Instagram launch. They don’t do it for every post but it’s something they have been doing depending on the event.
They did it once in a while before, but now its basically every post, and its significantly longer than their old posts ever were (unless they did one IG post to cover 3 or 4 engagements, which they sometimes did.)
I’ve looked at KPs posts over the last couple of months and there are several with long captions before the Sussex launch.
Also KP have only posted twice since the Sussex launch so I’m not sure how you can conclude that they now do it in ‘every’ post!
Ha, it has only been twice! I forget that Will and Kate don’t work really.
anyway, I also went back and looked at their posts over the past few months, and the two since SussexRoyal started are definitely different. They are longer (most of their other ones are two very brief paragraphs) and more detailed.
Like I said below, I’m not hating on it, because I think its an improvement and that’s good. But the posts HAVE changed.
Some recent ones are quite detailed & longer than two paragraphs. I just think it’s premature to conclude that a new pattern has emerged after only two posts! Going by what KP have done over the last few months it is more likely that we’ll get a mixture between long & short captions depending on the event & the number of pictures that are posted.
Also William & Harry have done similar engagement numbers this year so I guess Harry doesn’t really work either!
We must be looking at different posts. Shrug.
And yeah, Harry needs to work more too. But William is the future prince of wales and king. William should be setting the example.
They had to write a longer post for his internship. I doubt it was about copying the other account.. There weren’t pics,and none of the reporters covered it,so unless they wanted to keep it entirely private,they had to write something more.
I love how joyful the pictures are…..I can’t stop smiling, looking through them. 💕😁😊
It’s hard to say for sure since Sara Latham is also American (but IDK if she started yet?). Either way I’m sure Meghan is involved in it — the tone is so different from KP! Such a nice change.
Brilliant if she is. Keep up the good work!
Yeah i think it is obvious she is writing some of them. Good for her.
Yes! Meghan’s not going to sit around idle waiting on Baby Sussex to arrive; she needs something productive to do. She’s probably also researching subjects for the charities she helps.
i think she is too – i noticed a similarity in the writing to her posts on the tig and her old personal instagram straight away. it’s very warm.
If they are fact checking each other it’s likely they might not notice the terminology variations. #SussexRoyal Instagram posts are teachable moments that highlight their work.
This is her style of writing. She loves a run on sentence. I have problems with them too.
And em dashes — I can’t write without them!
Plus a heaping serving of over-enthusiasm!!! which you can see I demonstrate as well : )
I like! exclamation! points! too — and — em dashes!!! Oh! And… ellipses…
She doesn’t actually use run-on sentences–not technically, but she definitely likes longer, more complex and compound sentences, generally. But, I so agree that this is her style of writing. Also, I too require many em dashes when writing. 🙂 I like the idea that she’s writing these posts. She doesn’t want to be voiceless and I admire her tenacity in getting in there however she can.
There was a newspaper writer – perhaps Herb Caen – whose editor threatened to file down the – key on his typewriter!
Most folks write how we would speak. I think it’s a feature. I love hearing my friends’ voices through their writing.
If this is Meg, of course she’s being formal, but also warm. Love it.
I think she is definitely involved with the IG posts; whether she is actually writing the pots or just has some say in them, I’m not sure, but shes definitely involved. Things like “cribs” and “diapers” don’t mean she wrote that though – baby2baby is based in LA so it makes sense that any reporting they are doing of donations related to Baby Sussex would be in American terms.
the longer format is mainly what makes me think she is writing/involved. It’s like she has spent the past year reading the KP instagram and thought, “we need to do better.” Much of what is being done on the Sussex IG is what I have long thought they needed to do on the royal SM accounts in general – tie the organization more directly to the royals, provide concrete examples of what the organization does, etc. So often with KP it was “the Duke of Cambridge visited X charity today. X charity helps children in need.” And it was like…..okay….but tell me more. Clearly Meghan picked up on that.
I think its funny that KP basically IMMEDIATELY started imitating the longer format that the Sussexes use, but I’m not hating on KP for it. If it improves their account, that’s a good thing all around.
yep to all of this.
I love when charities let their donors know what they’re doing with donations. I used to work for a non-profit that really worked to be transparent about where every dollar went. We posted stories about the people who benefitted, photos of non-monetary donations, and lots more. People want to see their donations in action, it makes you want to donate again. Charities who only contact their donors with endless pleas for money lose out.
This^^^^^^
“It’s hilarious to me that the KensingtonRoyal IG account has started copying the Sussex-style of longer posts.”
Yup. Kensington Palace is an icompetent mess LOL
BTW I love Sussex IG, so professional but also personal.
I like that she has a way to express herself again in her own words. I see nothing wrong with her writing or heavily contributing to IG posts.
I said this yesterday, but I love the Sussex account’s longer, informative, chatty captions. I could see Meghan wanting to take the reins on the account as a way to use her blogging/communication skills and take back some ownership of their brand.
I also noticed the KP suddenly writing longer captions. 🙂
Her blog posts were generally poorly written – long, run on sentences, incorrect semicolons, etc. You can read the forward in her cookbook to see a recent example of how convoluted her sentence structure generally is, or read the very first IG post that is riddled with errors, including her telltale incorrect use of the semicolon. This style does not appear to be in her voice. I mean, it is possible her new PR person insisted she read ‘Elements of Style’ though, and observe good writing. However, this writer is doing a much better job. No doubt in my mind it must be their new British/American communications professional.
*Foreward, not “forward.” But keep trashing MM’s grammatical skills! 🙃
Lmao
Her writing skills are poor. Just read her blogposts and the cookbook *foreward* yourself. Someone is heavily editing any of her public writing.
Standing ovation for this reply.
FOREWORD.
https://grammarist.com/spelling/foreword-forward/
@Lorelei
Fucking hilarious comeback 😂
@ Hairpin
Keep stirring the turd. 💩
Maybe I’m just buying what their selling, but it sounds like a personal and personable statement that Meghan and Harry directly wrote to us. I think this is how the royal social media should be. If Meghan’s writing is as uneducated as you say, the best of both worlds is having her and Harry is drafting their message, and then their paid communication person editing/reviewing before posting. And if KP likes the way this looks and is received, and jumps on the band wagon, even better. I think KP’s social media peeps just went with what was always done, and now they are seeing they can go bigger and make the Cambridges look better, too. Win win win all around.
they’re 😉
I would say that 99.9% percent of the planet doesn’t know how to use semicolons properly; however, poor syntax does not render the information incomprehensible. There is still shared meaning. And even if the syntax was flawless, most people wouldn’t even know.
On a professional level, I do cringe a bit that the copy editing and the dialect is not uniform. But personally, I like that it’s a bit of an Anglo-American mashup. Makes the communication come across as more intimate and more of a team effort. The primary purpose of this social media communication is to make a personal connection with the reader, and the writing serves that purpose.
Agreed. This new style of writing is much more polished, and is the result of a professional communications team.
“But personally, I like that it’s a bit of an Anglo-American mashup.”
I think the Sussex’s main audience is the UK , Canada and the USA. IMHO, Americans take things a lot more laid back than the English. I have friends from England living in Florida. When they speak of “Biscuits”, I know they are talking about US “Cookies”. When they speak of “Taking out the Rubbish”, I know they are speaking about US “Taking out the Trash”. It is all good fun. However, several English newspapers have taken great offense at “American Words” being used on a Royal IG account. I think English people upset about the use of “American Words” in a Royal setting just need to kick back and have a good laugh. The world is global now as is the following of Sussexes.
“….I like that it’s a bit of an Anglo-American mashup.”
It’s interesting you say that……..I’m starting to see more and more clues, that their brand is deliberately being targeted at the international community, with the US being the prime focus. So the fact that she mostly wears international designers, her new intl titles, the £ and $ usage above, her American baby shower, etc. It’s starting to feel (to me) like part of a larger plan to make Americans feel personally invested in the BRF. Almost like this is the American “branch” of the royal family.
@Bella DuPont.
“It’s starting to feel (to me) like part of a larger plan to make Americans feel personally invested in the BRF. Almost like this is the American “branch” of the royal family.”
Bella, If this BREXSHIT nonsense thingy goes through then the UK & USA will need to be closer than ever. Branding the Sussex as the American “branch” of the royal family” will get US citizens interested in such things much even more interested and possibly picked up some new fans/Royal watchers. It really is not a bad idea as it can much do good and cause little or no harm.
I am Master’s level educated and my grammar skills have gone to s**t since I’ve began commenting and posting on social media. I recently had to publish professional writing and it needed serious editing. I wonder if this medium does little to encourage proper writing form.
FOREWORD. And a blog is a lot different than a royal IG post. A blog is meant to be more personal and if that means run-on sentences and a misplaced semi-colon who gives a f*ck.
@ Mego
I’m with you there!
I’m also masters educated with shockingly bad writing skills. And it keeps deteriorating, the older I get. To be fair, my degree and masters were purely mathematical, so I never really got the chance to develop my report writing skills. (Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself).
Writing is NOT easy, so full respect to people who can.
Perhaps they edited it, but the semicolon on the first IG post is not incorrect. It is separating two complete yet related sentences.
I have been saying this all along people … it is ALL about Meghan. She has this family and all of it’s staff shook. XO Kate is working, wearing different clothing, William is working … now social media looks different. It is ALL about Meghan. She is the best thing to happen to this family’s work ethic.
I wouldn’t say Kate and William are working right now. They started their maternity leave the same time Meghan did. I guess they figure they dont have to work when there is not a woman in her a third trimester showing them how to work or comparing their number of engagements while she is on maternity leave. Pathetic that Kate and Meghan have almost the exact same number of engagements while one was 7-9 months pregnant. Didn’t they leak to the media that this was going to he “her year?” Hmm.
camilla is working more than kate at this point – if that isnt embarassing i dont know what is. i thought kate was supposed to pop up with some great idea but nothing so far
Camilla outworks Kate by 100+ engagements most years, and that is with chronic health issues.
My guess she probably writes a draft, maybe with Harry’s input and then they send it to their social media person to edit and post. Oh and Harry and Meghan probably choose the pictures too.
But it’s funny, I had been wondering about that, because despite the terms used in the posts being so official, it still came off as pretty personal writing. Like it had some personality behind it. So I suspected she had more to do with them than we thought.
I agree – she writes a draft and they edit and post it. Makes sense.
Agree. And this is how it should be. While it may be nicknamed The Firm, if they want to keep the monarchy running it should feel as if they are speaking directly to the people. Write your heartfelt draft, then have your paid communications person edit it prior to posting.
They may break insta again when they announce Baby Sussex.
RR Chris Ship tweeted that the “Duchess thanked” those who gave to charity and some on twitter attacked him. They claim that he is erasing Harry and making it all about Meghan. That’s important because if we say it’s her words we are indicating that Harry has no say and she’s wearing the pants. Giving her detractors ammo.
BTW. Her face in that green dress makes me question the sanity and eyesight of anyone who believes she’s not pregnant.
@Sunnee
Totally understand your concern (Meghan haters are pretty crae), but i think if it’s one of them writing it, we’re more quick to give Meghan the credit, not because she “wears the pants”(—hate this term), but because she used to be big on social media. She was very active on her ig and her blog before all this, that’s why to us it’s more plausible she has more of a hand in this than Harry.
We should give credit to both unless we know one or the other is specifically involved, but since these changes occurred after Meghan married into the family, it’s easier to give her more credit.
Agree with hating this phrase. What’s wrong with her “wearing the pants” i.e. being the leader in their relationship? Does that mean Harry’s wearing a dress, and if so, literally or figuratively, what’s wrong with that? It reminds me of that quote attributed to Iggy Pop: “I’m not ashamed to dress “like a woman” because I don’t think it’s shameful to be a woman.” ** Sorry, off on a tangent, I didn’t realize that phrased bothered me this much!! Have a great Tuesday, ladies 🙂
@Original Jenns
Hahaha! I completely agree, and it’s the same reasons why I find that expression so distasteful (and that’s a great quote! Had no idea he said that). Look forward to your next tangent lol!
chris ship purposely said about meghan only when it was clearly written the duke and duchess of sussex – he was called out about it on twitter. ship is someone who likes to say odd things to get a reaction
There’s so much American interest in the Sussexes and in Meghan in particular that it makes sense to combine the dollar and pound signs as in the post above. It’s clearly deliberate and, IMO, smart as it’s welcoming donations from all quarters. (Regardless of who wrote it!)
I totally think that Meghan writes a draft and runs it by her PR folks who submit it. She isn’t saying anything off hand so there’s no need to censor her. Meghan knows what she needs to do to build up the Sussex brand.
I can see Buckingham realizing they can’t cut her off and silence her completely considering everything she gave up to marry Harry. So I think this is a strategy with the transition of offices to promote the monarchy but also to keep Meghan happy. I think she helped the family enter the 21st century by showing the Queen (and others) how to use social media. The Queen making her social media post was her way of giving approval. I think Brand Sussex will be known as the Humanitarian branch of the Royal Family going forward.
Also, I think it’s rather telling that the Cambridges have no interest in maintaining and keeping a social media presence. I think that William and Kate are missing a huge opportunity to promote the monarchy and UK life. It’s the easiest way in the world to promote the institution. I genuinely hope they wise up and get on board.
They fixed the formatting on their last post after it first went up. Perhaps indicates more than one cook in the kitchen?
I have a hunch she’s writing them in ‘notes’ and sending it to someone to post. She’s not wanting negativity and about to give birth. She doesn’t have it on her phone and getting all these notifications! LOL Sure she’s writing it but she’s not posting it.
Totally random question triggered by the branch statement above: Was Megs given a coat of arms like Kate?
I do remember Psycho Sam making a stink about how Toxic Tom (AND their family) should get a copy of Meg’s crest to be able to use, but that idea was totally shot down (as it should’ve been). Meghan did get her own, intertwined with Harry’s; I love that it includes quills that represent “the power of communication” (and there’s the link to her IG contributions 😊 ):
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a20914806/meghan-markle-duchess-of-sussex-coat-of-arms-meaning/
“The blue background of the shield represents the Pacific Ocean off the California coast, while the two golden rays across the shield are symbolic of the sunshine of The Duchess’s home state. The three quills represent communication and the power of words,” reads a statement from Kensington Palace.
“Beneath the shield on the grass sits a collection of golden poppies, California’s state flower, and wintersweet, which grows at Kensington Palace.”
Clearly, the poppy and wintersweet are two symbols that the Duchess finds meaningful. They were also among the images embroidered on her wedding veil.
The design also includes a coronet, which features two crosses patée (a type of Christian cross), four fleurs-de-lys, and two strawberry leaves. Also seen on the coat of arms is a songbird “with wings elevated as if flying and an open beak, which with the quill represents the power of communication,” according to Kensington Palace.
Yes she was.
I see both sides…..from Canada. We’re a Commonwealth country. Not a one of our charities are being supported. Nothing in Australia, either, another Commonwealth country….but it is vital help to the African charity…and LA is her home…..so both sides. I wish there was at least one charity representing the Commonwealth…..
The Lunchbox Fund is a charity based in South Africa, a commonwealth country. So the Commonwealth is indeed represented. BTW most of the countries in the Commonwealth are African+Caribbean countries.
We know what definition of “commonwealth” Surly Girl is using…
@Surly Gale, isn’t South Africa a commonwealth country?
Shush, that’s a secret, don’t say it out loud!
I think it would be wise if everybody on this site who likes to comment could write what they want, sit on it for a bit and then press send after they have relaxed. These are public figures that you don’t even know and you are all trampling on each other like vultures. No wonder media pits women against women. Have you seen what you have all written? Calm down, believe in your opinion enough that you don’t have to lash out if somebody has an opposing side. Let’s coexist with peace. Bring back some laughs and some jokes. It’s gone overboard.
Yup…as my dear old dad used to say…”Measure twice, cut once.” People tend to get wayyyy too opinionated about a subject of which they know little.
She is writing them because she does it well and far better than Kensington IG and Twitter. Also because she cares and understands that communication is important.
I don’t think it’s her simply because of the spelling of certain words. A word like organization I didn’t even realize had a British spelling and although I don’t doubt the intelligence of Meghan at all, I feel some words she might not realize have alternate spelling. Then again maybe I’m wrong and maybe she has someone look over her postings before she hits submit. There’s no telling, I’m just excited to see baby Sussex
I use to go to the comment sections of the articles on the Daily Fail and post the most American English comments I could dream up (I found a million different ways to work “French Fries” into a comment post) just to goat the goat of all the English trolls and English deplorables in the commentariat I could! LOL! LOL!
LOL! I still call them “Freedom Fries!”
Good work.
As soon as the Sussex Instagram was launched, I could tell right away she had a hand in writing them. They sound a lot like how she expresses herself. A bit over the top maybe, but focusing on the impact of things. I didn’t read her blog so I honestly don’t know about her love of run on sentences and dashes and semi colons. But the Instagram captions sound a lot like how she talks. It’s not surprising.
She often uses the same grammatical constructions which are very recognizable,and she loves to use some particular words (even when it doesn’t make much sense sense,to be really honest!). She has surely a hand in writing them. And I definitely think she gives a look at the comments too (not every single one,obviously). I thought it wasn’t a coincidence that one post remarked that they also donated to a charity. Maybe she read some less than positive comment about her baby shower,who knows.
Don’t you get tired?
I’ve notice many new, one letter named posters here. All of them fervently anti-Meghan. Guess the RD crowd have found a new site to infest.
Meghan and Harry gave the evil Brits the middle finger and they still don’t get it!!! WTF, who really cares.. It’s the best Instagram by a Royal, that’s all that matters!!!! The British Media is CRAZY!!!
I dunno. Usually when the royals post something themselves, they sign it with their name or initial. I don’t see why Meghan wouldn’t have done that if she had written this.