Meghan Markle reportedly deleted her secret Instagram account just before Christmas, after comments left her feeling very uncomfortable. Photo / Getty Images
Meghan Markle reportedly deleted her secret Instagram account just before Christmas, after comments left her feeling very uncomfortable. Photo / Getty Images
When Meghan Markle announced her engagement to Harry in January last year, her social media accounts were deleted.
Before then, she regularly posted photos of things she was interested in - quotes, fashion, yoga, and clothes.
But according to The Daily Mail, the Duchess of Sussex still had a secret Instagram account that existed until just before Christmas. But a barrage of offensive comments prompted her to remove herself completely from the social media platform.
Markle often posted photos from events to share details of her outfits. Photo / Instagram
The Daily Mail reports that Markle, due to give birth to her first child in April, was sent threatening comments which made her feel "isolated and alone".
To protect her wellbeing, she reportedly terminated the account towards the end of December, feeling so affected she was nervous to step out in public.
Meghan Markle reportedly deleted her secret Instagram account just before Christmas, after comments left her feeling very uncomfortable. Photo / Getty Images
An insider told The Sun, what people said had a very negative impact on the Duchess: "Since she shut down her public Instagram, she'd had a fake account to follow her friends. There was some really vile stuff written by social media trolls and obviously, she also saw the headlines about her.
"It really got to her and, in the end, she had to shut down that account just before Christmas, too, to protect her mental health. She felt very isolated and alone."
A picture of Meghan, 37, from her now closed-down Instagram account. Photo / Instagram
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are the only members of the royal family who run their own social media accounts.
Social media teams run the official Instagram and Twitter account for senior members of the monarchy as well as the official account for Kensington Palace. On these platforms it's rare for any to feature personal posts.
An insider has previously shared with Us Weekly that Markle finds it "frustrating and stressful" as well as "debilitating" to abide by strict royal protocol and have virtually "no voice."
Before joining the royal family, Meghan was a vocal feminist, giving a memorable speech on the subject for the United Nations.
Since becoming a royal, it's been reported the Duchess has felt silenced, and as a result husband Harry has been "racked with guilt".
Similarly, Princess Diana, went through the same negative backlash as Meghan when she entered the royal family. Photo / Getty Images
Links have been made between Meghan's situation and the unfavourable public chatter that surrounded Princess Diana when she joined the royal family in 1981.
Last year a source said Harry's determination to protect his wife stems from his inability to do so for his mother.
Meanwhile, US Weekly claims a royal insider said: "Meghan has so much on her plate, between being pregnant and dealing with the public backlash and she's finding the whole situation incredibly stressful."
With constant rumours circulating, such as the royal rift between Markle and sister-in-law Kate, the new Duchess is said to be "fed-up".
Royal insiders have claimed while it is apparent the Cambridges are "very different people" there is no feud between the couples.
The former Suits actress used her account to share photos with friends, such as Serena Williams. Photo / Instagram
