Like so many people I use the social media. I’ve got my Twitter feed open almost all day, as that is the place to be to follow people and get the royal news faster than anywhere else. Facebook is more for the personal contacts. I have a private account and an open one for my website and blog. I also have an Instagram account, but as I do not have a phone to post pictures and somehow they only let you create an account on your computer, but not post, I only try to follow some people. Sometimes I just open accounts because they’re usable for work or hobby.
There are many, many royals and nobles who have their own accounts on one or more social networks. Even members of reigning royal houses nowadays have accounts and/or websites. They come in very handy when you want to promote your family or your work. I do for example love the accounts and website of Queen Rania of Jordan, who is doing a great job showing what she is doing. And she combines it sometimes with a nice picture of her family or a family member. I think that is just the way an official account should be done, whether she does it herself or not.
But I wonder: would you expect royals to show a lot about their private life on social media? Early July there was this huge private birthday party for Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece (50) and his daughter Princess Maria-Olympia (21) for example. It was a rather lavish theme party and lots of photos showed up, especially on Instagram. Not only posted by the family members themselves, but also by guests. Last week Crown Princess Marie-Chantal told the British newspaper “The Times” that she thinks the party was misrepresented and didn’t show either what kind of family they are. She now thinks she should have asked her guests for an Instagram ban.
Surprisingly to me this comes from a member of a family that has been all over Instagram for several years. There is no royal family that shows so much of their personal life on social media as the Crown Princely family of Greece. I think both the parents and their five children are on social media and you can follow exactly where they are and what they’re doing. The same goes for Tessy, formerly or not yet formerly Princess of Luxembourg, who doesn’t only use her Instagram account to show off her really great work, but also posts lots of personal stuff.
Although many people seem to enjoy these more personal accounts, I wonder if some people don’t show too much of their personal life and sometimes even feelings. I see lots of social media posts by celebrities and royals being used even by magazines all the time. These posts of course are great sources for information and gossip. But they are also easily misused and misinterpreted. Whether a social media ban for private events is really the solution? It was reported there was also such a ban for the Hannover wedding in July. However if you looked at Instagram, there were lots of guests who posted pictures and even videos.
Already as an uninteresting person you should be careful what you post and what you want to show about yourself online. But if you or your family are known, I think you should even think twice about what you’re posting on your social media accounts, especially when they’re not private.
Hello Netty!
Great post. I agree with you. I follow members of the greek royal family ando also Tessy, and let me tell you, Tessy is acting very weird. Specially since her separation, it’s almost like she needs the attention. She even post pictures from her kids (and the recent family wedding for example) with watermarks from Photo Agencies. I mean…how odd and pathetic is that?
I don’t mind them using social media (FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), nor using it sometimes to post something personal, but how far should they go … If you have an open account, or just let everybody become a follower. I think it could have a negative effect and if you’re a noble or royal (especially the more known ones), you could expect people to be interested. I think Tessy should concentrate more on her work and less on her personal life, or start a separate personal account without accepting everybody.
Yes I love follow royals on social media, and I think they can use the social media on a very positive way to promove their causes and work, as well family things. Like you say Queen Rania does it very well. Also the danish royal house on Instagram and facebook as been a pleasant surprise actually. But they should know better to figure out where is the line between what it is wise to share, and what isn’t. No doubt.