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Since the launch of their own Instagram account Sussex Royal earlier this year, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have taken to following a handful of different accounts each month in line with a theme or cause they’d chosen in order to shed light on organisations doing amazing work in that particular area.
But what actually happens if you’re one of those lucky and deserving organisations chosen?
In an interview with Yahoo! Style UK, the founders of two charities lucky enough to get a follow from Harry and Meghan have shared just how much the royals’ support has benefited their work to help others.
WATCH: What it’s like when Sussex Royal follows you on Instagram. Story continues below…
In October, Sal’s Shoes, a charity which donates outgrown but not outworn shoes to children in 44 countries around the world, got a follow from Sussex Royal, after the royals reached out to their followers to ask who they believe are doing wonderful things for their community.
The charity’s founder, CJ Bowry told Yahoo! Style that ever since the royals followed her not only has Sal’s Shoes gained more followers but most importantly, they’ve increased the number of donations they receive.
“I think it was just five minutes of hysterical laughter,” CJ recalls of when she discovered she’d been followed on Instagram by royalty.
“And as quickly as I’d received the notification that Harry and Meghan had followed the Sal’s Shoes page, more and more people started following us.
“It’s been a really exciting time for us since the post on Sussex Royal Instagram,” she adds.
“We have picked up loads of new followers, we’ve picked up loads of support and certainly the donations of incoming shoes has been on the rise.”
Similarly, when Jaime Thurston founder of 52 Lives discovered she too had been followed by Harry and Meghan, she laughs: “My first thought was, ‘is it the real account?'”
She tells Yahoo! Style, “I kind of clicked on it to make sure it wasn’t a fake account or anything and then when I realised it was real, I was over the moon.
52 Lives aims to bring kindness and to help changes someone’s life every week of the year, with the charity providing funding for whatever a person might be need.
“A lot of people we help are going through really difficult times and some of them feel quite isolated and the beauty of 52 Lives is that we create this online community of people who help other people feel like they’re not alone,” Jaime tells the news outlet.
Jaime says 52 Lives has seen a huge increase of followers on the social media platform, particularly international ones and says not only does this mean they may be able to help more people, but it is also helping to reach new audiences with their message about kindness.
Speaking to the news outlet about Sussex Royal, royal correspondent Omid Scobie says Harry and Meghan were “so hands-on” in the creation of the account. From choosing the royal blue they’d use to style their logo and account, to Meghan choosing to have a white border around each of their posts.
He adds it was during a brainstorming session that Harry and Meghan both attended that the idea to follow a different group of charities each month came to fruition, “giving small, grassroots-led initiatives a platform to really promote themselves to the world and be noticed.”
Harry and Meghan launched their Sussex Royal Instagram page in April this year, following their split from the Kensington Palace household, which had once seen them share social media accounts with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
At the time, the Sussexes broke the Guinness World Record for fastest account to reach one million followers on Instagram – beating K-Pop star Kang Daniel’s record by almost six hours. Since then the Sussexes’ record got beaten by a mere thirty minutes when Jennifer Aniston joined the platform in October and broke the internet with a reunion photo of her and her Friends castmates.
Meghan and Harry are said to have been “hands-on” in the creation of their Instagram account from the very beginning. (Image: Getty)
In July, the couple made TIME Magazine’s list of the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet, joining the likes of pop star Ariana Grande, US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, actress Jameela Jamil and South Korean music group BTS.
Explaining the royal couple’s inclusion in the list, TIME‘s writer Raisa Bruner penned at the time: “While baby photos are among @SussexRoyal’s draws, most posts are dedicated to the pair’s work as royals.”
She added, “The Susssexes’ forward-thinking, cause-orientated approach to social media fits neatly with other ways they are establishing their identity beyond the crown.”
For the month of December, the Sussexes have chosen a seasonally appropriate ’12 Days of Christmas’ theme, selecting 12 organisations who are caring for those in need, particularly at this time of year.
“With the festive holiday season upon us, it’s also a reminder to reflect on those in need,” the Sussex Royal account wrote earlier this month.
“Those who may feel lonely, hungry, homeless, or may be experiencing the holidays for the first time without loved ones. It’s an important time of year to help those around you who may be less fortunate, or who would appreciate even the smallest act of kindness.”
