As Meghan Markle ushers in the New Year with a surprising return to Instagram, speculation grows about her readiness to navigate a solo professional path amidst what some describe as a “professional split” from Prince Harry.

Meghan’s reappearance on Instagram with her own account may have startled some, but for those closely observing her career trajectory, it feels more like a natural progression.

At 43, Meghan once likened her relationship with Harry to “salt and pepper,” emphasizing their constant togetherness. Over the early years of their marriage, the couple jointly ventured into high-profile projects, including interviews and documentaries. However, recent developments suggest the Duchess of Sussex is increasingly carving out her own identity, signaling a new chapter separate from her husband’s endeavors.

Separate appearances

Instances of Meghan and Harry appearing apart have become more frequent, including December 5, when Harry, 40, participated in the 2024 New York Times DealBook Summit, while Meghan stayed in California to attend the Paley Honors Fall Gala alongside Tyler Perry.

The growing distance between the once inseparable couple has led fans to speculate, with even rumors of a divorce circulating. Addressing such claims during the summit, Harry humorously remarked to NYT columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin: “Apparently, we’ve bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, what? It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it.”

Sources have clarified that these individual appearances are a practical choice, allowing one of them to remain home with their children. A friend shared with People: “What we are seeing is a functional and healthy relationship with two working partners, not the contrary.”

Another insider explained that this approach aligns with their “twin-track” strategy, where Harry emphasizes his charitable efforts, while Meghan focuses on entrepreneurial projects and business ventures.

‘Independent’ identity

Experts argue that the couple’s diverging paths reflect their unique interests and identities rather than marital discord. Hugo Vickers, a royal author, told The Sun: “Harry’s much better when he’s on his own talking about things without her there. And perhaps she’s better off doing what she does without him there because he always looks a little bit spare.”

He added, “You could suggest that she’s making a move to be an independent person in her own right. We know who she is now, thanks to her marrying Prince Harry. She’s got much more of an identity.”

Changing the narrative

PR specialist Mark Borkowski, speaking to The Telegraph, suggested that Harry and Meghan’s “separation of work” has been ongoing, particularly as Meghan develops her American Riviera Orchard brand. According to Mark, this shift arose because the “star power” they envisioned as a couple post-Royal Family “didn’t work.”

Mark elaborated: “They had to change the narrative. They need a venture that deflects from the failures. The charity aspect impresses upon everybody that he [Harry] does have value beyond the controversial stuff. It has the effect of separating them from the bad press and the failed content ideas. The punters still have time for Harry.”

Body language shift

Body language expert Judi James previously observed a marked shift in how Harry and Meghan present themselves publicly. Speaking to the Mirror, she described their evolution from a “twinning” dynamic to something more independent.

“Harry and Meghan’s relationship seems to have evolved from a totally twinned one, where their body language was confined to appearances as a matching, complimentary and very royal-looking double act, to one that resembles the shape of a letter Y; joined and twinned at the base but also separating into two individuals moving into two rather separate professional directions,” she explained.

Judi noted that their “sole trader” body language performances are occasionally balanced by appearances emphasizing their bond: “Theirs has always been laid out as a love story with a romantic core, and seeing them alone still tends to create a look of a lost limb, thanks to their previously constant love of touch, tie-signs, and other PDAs to provide a touching narrative that the world enjoys watching.”

She continued, “The recent ‘base of the Y’ appearance was a rather formal and regal video where Meghan threw Harry constant affectionate-looking glances to register besotted encouragement while he spoke, and Harry, more formally, failed to respond in kind apart from one rather rigidly extended arm placed around his wife’s back on the cue of the word ‘together.’

“The message was clearly one of ongoing bonds and togetherness, but for fans of the Harry and Meghan passionately romantic body language rituals, it was rather thin gruel. It will be sad for their fans if, despite their marriage being enduringly strong and loving, they have made a decision to tone down the PDAs.”