Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have quit social media after growing disillusioned by the “hate” they have found on sites like Facebook and Twitter, a UK newspaper reported on Sunday.
A source close to the royals told The Sunday Times that the couple has “no plans” to use social media for their new Achewell Foundation and that they are “very unlikely” to return to their personal accounts.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who moved to California last year after abruptly resigning from British royal duties, have previously had prominent presences online.
They amassed more than 10 million Instagram followers to their Sussex Royal account while they were working royals.
But the couple have also previously complained about their treatment on social media, as well as in the British press.
Meghan described past trolling of her as “almost unsurvivable” while Harry issued an unprecedented statement in 2016 denouncing “the racial undertones of comment pieces” and “the sexism and racism of social media trolls”.
Last year they launched a wide-ranging non-profit organisation, Archewell, after giving up their “Sussex Royal” brand as part of the terms of their departure from frontline monarchy duties.
They have started other creative ventures, including signing a deal with Spotify to produce podcasts that tell “uplifting and entertaining stories”.
The couple also signed a multi-year contract, reportedly worth tens of millions of dollars, with streaming giant Netflix to produce “impactful” films and series.
Meanwhile, Markle, a former television actress, narrated a wildlife documentary on Disney+ in 2020.