Oh, how times have changed! The royal family that once operated behind a mysterious shroud of secrecy has, over the decades, slowly moved into the public sphere. Whether they’re making television appearances or posting on Instagram, members of the royal family are more relatable than ever. But none have ventured into TikTok territory … until now.

This week marks a milestone: A British royal has become the first in the family to join TikTok. Read on to learn about the platform’s new royal member, what you can expect from the account and whether other royals might join TikTok too.

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Which royal is now on TikTok?

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York attends the amfAR Cannes Gala 30th edition Presented by Chopard and Red Sea International Film Festival at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 23, 2024 in Cap d'Antibes, France. Pascal Le Segretain/amfAR/Getty Images

It’s official: Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has joined TikTok.

A little background on Ferguson (aka Fergie) for those unfamiliar with the royal family tree: She is the ex-wife of Prince Andrew and mother of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. And she has a sparkling reputation for making waves. (We can’t forget about the toe-sucking scandal or her connection to Jeffrey Epstein.) So of course Fergie would be the very first royal to join this branch of social media.

In her very first TikTok post, she shares the emotional experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer, describing the moment she learned about her diagnosis as a “hollow feeling of total, abject fear.” She goes on to say, “I just shut down. […] It was easier not to ask for support and just to deal with it.”

Her inaugural video is a mix of vulnerable and inspirational, with a caption that acknowledges the larger community of cancer patients and survivors. “For anyone going through this now, know that you are not alone,” she writes.

@sarahtheduchess My first ever TikTok! How it felt hearing my breast cancer diagnosis. One cancer diagnosis was bad enough but to go through all those emotions twice was a lot to handle. For anyone going through this now, know that you are not alone. 🩷❤️‍🩹 I am proud to share that I am officially a patron for #PreventBreastCancer, an incredible organisation that is dedicated to the prediction and prevention of #breastcancer. #BreastCancerAwareness #PinkOctober #CancerTok #BreastCancerSurvivor ♬ original sound – Sarah Ferguson (Fergie)

The duchess has been open about her two cancer diagnoses (breast cancer and skin cancer) on Instagram since her first breast cancer diagnosis in the summer of 2023. But to open the TikTok floodgates for the royal family and revisit this sensitive topic during Breast Cancer Awareness Month seems iconic.

What else is Fergie likely to post?

Currently, the Duchess of York has four videos up on her TikTok account, three of which focus on the importance of mental health. After posting about her emotional journey with breast cancer, she shared a video about overcoming insecurity. Fergie followed that up with a video sharing her methods for clearing her mind when she feels overwhelmed.

@sarahtheduchess In honour of #mentalhealthday ♬ original sound – Sarah Ferguson (Fergie)

While we can’t say for sure what direction Fergie will go on this new social media platform, it’s safe to speculate that she’ll share more posts promoting mental health.

And it wouldn’t surprise us to see some animals make their TikTok debuts. After all, in addition to Instagram posts about her cancer diagnoses, her book and her family, she’s shared a number of pictures of animals—namely, dogs and horses. We all know the late queen was a fan of corgis, and the royal pups now live with Fergie. So perhaps the duchess will share their antics with the world on her new TikTok account. (Fingers crossed!)

Will we see other royals on TikTok in the near future?

It’s not likely. According to a story in the Daily Mail, Fergie is not bound by the same security laws that other members of the royal family are obliged to follow. TikTok, owned by a Chinese company, was banned from government phones last year. As King Charles is likely to continue following governmental guidelines (and require the same from other members of his family), the royals probably won’t follow the duchess in her TikTok debut.

Where can you find other royals online?

While Fergie may be the first (and possibly only) royal to join TikTok, that doesn’t mean the royal family is entirely absent from social media. You’ll find most of them online, though the more senior the royal, the more formal the account. To see posts about Charles, you’ll have to follow a general royal family account, and to keep up with William and Kate, you have to follow their joint Prince and Princess of Wales account. Even Harry and Meghan, who left their full-time royal duties, have a formal joint account on Instagram instead of casual personal ones.

Here are a few places you can find the British royals online:

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Sources:

  • Sarah Ferguson on TikTok: @sarahtheduchess
  • The Telegraph: “Duchess of York toe-sucking incident could feature in The Crown spin-off”
  • Newsweek: “How Sarah Ferguson’s Money Troubles Made Prince Andrew’s Jeffrey Epstein Problem Worse”
  • Daily Mail: “Fergie’s joined TikTok! She’s ‘passionate about connecting with the next generation'”
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