I was a late add to the Instagram obsession, joining just last year – but now I’m hooked. And so is the Royal Family, apparently, as Archie made history last week by being the first member of The Firm to have his or her birth announced via the social media giant. Here are the top 10 accounts you must follow to keep up with the Royals – I even have a separate, secret Instagram account where I follow these accounts only so when I want my Royal Family fix without having to muddle through, you know, everyone I actually know and interact with on a semi-regular basis, I can get it. That’s a pretty solid life hack that I recommend to all Royal Watchers.
1. @theroyalfamily: The Queen’s account. It also features pretty much everyone else.
2. @clarencehouse: Charles and Camilla’s account. Clarence House is attached to St. James’s Palace and, since 2002, has been where the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall live.
3. @kensingtonroyal: William and Kate’s account. They live at Kensington Palace, hence the account’s name. Princess Eugenie and her new husband, Jack Brooksbank, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, who I just wrote about in my last blog post, also live there.
4. @sussexroyal: Harry and Meghan’s account, which made history last week by announcing Archie’s birth. It is widely speculated that Meghan herself is actually behind the account, not a staffer.
5. @hrhthedukeofyork: Prince Andrew’s account.
6. @sarahferguson15: Sarah Ferguson, aka Fergie before Black Eyed Peas’ Fergie, aka Prince Andrew’s ex-wife’s account.
7. @princesseugenie: Bet you can’t guess who this account belongs to.
8. @historicroyalpalaces: Account of the independent charity that looks after Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Tower of London, Kew Palace, Banqueting House, and Hillsborough Castle.
9. @royalcollectiontrust: This charity cares for the Royal Collection and visitors to Buckingham Palace, Queen’s Gallery, Windsor Castle, Holyrood Palace, and Royal Mews.
10. @buckinghampalaceshop: Those that can’t shop at the gift shops of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Holyrood Palace at least have this account. They ship worldwide, too!
Honorable Mention: @emilygiffinauthor. Emily Giffin is one of the biggest Royal Family aficionados alive, other than me. She is also a writer of excellent fiction. I met her at a book signing once at Draper James, Reese Witherspoon’s clothing store in Nashville. She is as kind as she is talented. And she has opinions on the Royal Family. Half if not more of her posts are about The Firm. Worth a follow!