The world is waiting in anticipation for the arrival of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first child. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not formally released a due date, but it is believed that the newest royal baby – who will be seventh in line to the throne – will be arriving any day now.
But the royal couple’s first child already has fans. Across social media, hundreds of fan accounts have been launched for the new royal baby, before it has even been born. The trend is most visible on Instagram, where the royal couple also recently set up their own official account at @sussexroyal.
One fan account, @royalbabygingerofsussex, which has 40,000 followers, has been charting every stage of Markle’s pregnancy since its first post in January. Many smaller pages are equally dedicated, posting regular pictures of the royals with captions looking forward to the baby’s arrival.
Charlotte, a 19-year-old from France, runs @RoyalBaby19, an Instagram page dedicated to the new royal baby and the Sussex family. Charlotte admits that running a fan page for an unborn baby is “unusual” but says that it stems from a long-held interest in the British monarchy. Odd as it might seem for someone from France – a republic that famously beheaded its monarchy – to be obsessed with Britain’s royals, Charlotte says they are a “symbol of the UK” that she greatly respects. She describes the baby as a sign that the royals are “evolving in a modern way”, which “might help the monarchy last”. After the baby arrives, Charlotte is looking forward to following the child’s life and updating her followers with more details.
It’s not just on Instagram where people are captivated. Fandoms for the baby and its parents also thrive on Tumblr, where it’s clear that a majority of participants come from outside the UK. Snarky Tiara – a Tumblr blog dedicated to “Supporting the Duke & Duchess of Sussex and baby S” – is run by Laura, a 31-year-old from the Netherlands.
“What I like about Meghan is her confidence. She isn't afraid to be completely herself and stand up for what she believes in,” Laura says. “I wasn't so much a fan of the British royal family before; Meghan definitely made me become interested. My country has a monarchy and I like them just fine, but I have never spent time following them.”
On her blog, Laura posts pictures of the couple and responds to questions. She tells me that she has become increasingly defensive over the Duchess in recent months, particularly in response to what she sees as hostile treatment by the British press. “Her treatment has been unfair, especially because she is pregnant,” she says. “I understand that as a new member of the royal family, there will be a lot of media interest and attention. But she has not been allowed to gradually ease into her role.”
Across the online fandom, Laura has observed others have a similar response to the press coverage of Markle’s pregnancy. “In recent months more people, who weren't into following royals before, have noticed Meghan's treatment in the press and are saying something about it,” she says. “It's nice to see.”
Following the royal pregnancy so closely, however, has also exposed Laura to some harmful behaviour. A rumoured rift between Meghan Markle and her sister-in-law Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, concocted by tabloid speculation, has resulted in tension between their respective online fandoms. Laura describes this as “a very hostile and toxic online environment.” This tension primarily takes the form of nasty comments on posts, or anonymous questions asked through Tumblr which disparage Prince Harry and Meghan’s marriage, status and fans.
Laura says she has noticed an increase in “pro-Kate” (and anti-Meghan) activity on social media. “A lot of new royal fans, who became interested after Meghan joined the family, are written off very quickly as being ‘dumb Americans’ who don't know anything about how the monarchy works,” she says. “There is snobbery towards new Meghan fans and people who have been around are unwilling to be inclusive. Real worries about the racist undertones in the coverage are often laughed off and there is a lot of gaslighting.”
Bella, a 24 year old from Brazil who runs the Tumblr blog The Sussexes, has encountered similar behaviour. “There are some people in the fandom that are very snobby towards new fans, simply because of the fact they were here before, so they know it all,” she says. “I have a lot of black friends in this fandom that have spoken up about being gaslighted by white people in the fandom.”
Similarly to Laura, Bella became interested in the royal baby after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s marriage. After waking up at 4am to watch their wedding, she began researching more about the royal family’s newest member. She too has become defensive over Markle and her baby because of the behaviour she sees in certain corners of the media.
“It’s really horrible and racist,” she says. “The press create absurdities about her and the way she has been treated is extremely racist. She breathes and there's something wrong about it. She can't touch her own body while pregnant because it's wrong, she can't wear certain types of clothes because it's against ‘protocol’, even though other ladies in the family wore the same type of clothes.”
Bella says she is inspired by Markle’s mixed-race heritage and that of her child. “She is a breath of fresh air,” she says. “A lot of people now have someone in the royal family to look up to. Being mixed race, Meghan has experienced things that other members haven’t, so she can put a spotlight on those issues.”
Sahri, a 20-year-old from Massachusetts who runs the Tumblr blog MeghandeSussex, echoes this sentiment. “I was never that interested in the royal family until Meghan showed up,” she explains. “For me it was all about representation, the fact she was biracial and so open about it.” Sahri thinks that media treatment of Markle has been “atrocious” but says she hopes Markle will take strength from knowing there’s a community of her fans out there who are willing to debunk rumours and spread positivity.
When asked about the royal couple’s new official Instagram, Sahri says she thinks it’s a smart move. “Having an Instagram is their way of controlling what’s put out about them,” she says. “They’re giving us direct looks into charities they care about and using informal sign offs like ‘-Harry and Meghan’ to connect with their fans. It’s great for the royal family! It shows they can keep up with the times.”
The official @sussexroyal account, which already boasts 5.4 million followers, has so far been filled with pictures of the couple’s engagements and projects, and it could likely be where the first pictures of the new baby are released after Kensington Palace announced that the couple would forgo the traditional royal baby photocall. It was a controversial decision in some quarters, but one that was welcomed by many online fans. “I totally respect their decision.,” says Bella. “They’re still making a photocall to present the baby to the world, even though it’s not the same way Kate and William chose to do.”
Meghan Markle aside, it’s unmistakable that part of the inspiration for the royal baby fandoms is linked to nostalgia for Princess Diana, who in many ways redefined the public perception of royal motherhood. When asked what her hopes are for the baby when it enters the world, Sahri responds, “I can only hope Meghan will be as open and affectionate with her baby as Diana once was.”
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
