Meghan Markle is back on Instagram with a New Year's Eve beach flick and a trailer for her Netflix show "With Love, Meghan."

During her return, the Duchess of Sussex noticeably disabled comments on her page, preventing followers from directly commenting on her posts.

PR expert Ed Hopkins has now revealed that disabling comments is helping Meghan Markle protect her mental health from online negativity following earlier claims of cyberbullying.

In an interview with ExpressCelebrity PR expert Hopkins sheds light on why Meghan decided to block comments on her new Instagram account.

Hopkins suggested that the former actress' decision to turn off comments on her Instagram was likely to "protect her mental health and reduce the risk of harmful or negative interactions."

Hopkins explained: "From a PR perspective, this decision is not necessarily to avoid engagement, but to protect her mental health and reduce the risk of harmful or negative interactions, which can be all too common on social media platforms."

He added that this approach won't hinder Meghan's ability to connect with her audience, noting, "Meghan's posts can still drive engagement in other ways — like her choice of content, her message and the conversations she sparks around her posts."

Hopkins noted that "ultimately" the Duchess "probably wants to protect her peace while also sharing meaningful moments and goals with her followers."

"As we've seen from other public figures, taking control of your digital environment can be a smart and empowering move," the expert concluded.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the publication that Meghan's return to Instagram makes "perfect sense" as it coincides with the release of her upcoming projects.

Fitzwilliams noted: "It makes perfect sense to release a video to herald a new year that will lead to more activity. There's a connection between her Netflix cooking series that we should be seeing soon and her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, which has trademark issues and he's late."

He added: "This should prove as financially rewarding as her Instagram posts if they are sponsored. She already has over 100,000 followers, including some big names, but is currently unfollowing anyone."

As of January 4, Meghan's Instagram account has reached over 1.3 million followers and the numbers are still growing, and although Prince Harry was not visible in her first video post, it is widely believed that he was behind the camera, capturing the lighthearted moment .

Their children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, were also absent from the scene.

Shortly after her beach video, Meghan wowed followers once again by unveiling the trailer for her much-anticipated Netflix series "With Love, Meghan."

In the trailer, Meghan is seen cooking with guests like actress Mindy Kaling and her "Suits" co-star Abigail Spencer, arranging flowers and beekeepers.

The eight-episode show, which premieres on January 15, will see Meghan host celebrity friends at a California estate and offer cooking, gardening and entertaining tips.

However, talking to The Mirrorroyal historian dr. Tessa Dunlop warned that an overly curated and glamorous display in the trailer could be a turn-off.

Dunlop noted: "It's all too easy to make fun of Meghan and the perfect world she presents in her new Netflix trailer: great (little) famous friends, fresh food, Insta-ready pictures."

She added: "But don't worry, apparently that's what the Duchess does: in her words, 'I've always loved taking something quite ordinary and elevating it.' And no, she's not talking about Prince Harry, who this time was lucky enough to appear alongside his influencer wife and her millennial pals."

Dunlop also highlighted Meghan's claim to creating a warm, family atmosphere, with celebrity chef Roy Choi commenting: "They are a family now."

However, Dunlop noted that, given the Sussexes' "affairs with those closest to them", this opinion may ring hollow.

Viewers of Meghan's new Netflix trailer were left confused, as the promo made no mention of her long-awaited lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.

Launched with a dedicated website and Instagram page last March, the brand gained attention after a trademark application revealed plans to sell jams, spreads and luxury homewares.

However, despite the initial excitement, the products were only shared privately with Meghan's celebrity friends, who introduced her jam on social media in April.

None of the items are available for public purchase, and the brand's progress appears to have stalled due to ongoing trademark issues. The American Riviera Orchard Instagram account has also remained inactive.

Meghan teased in 2020 in a chat with The Cut that he will return to Instagram after being forced to close it in 2018 ahead of her royal wedding to Harry.

"You want to know a secret? I'm going back... to Instagram," she said at the time.

However, she has already used Instagram to promote her American Riviera Orchard brand. Meghan reportedly launched the Montecito-based brand as an extension of her old blog, The Tig, noting that it will focus on home, garden, food and general lifestyle.

This was said by a source close to Meghan Harper's Bazaar that her brand is "something more accessible...something rooted in her love of detail, curation, hosting, life's simple pleasures and family."

The source added: "Meghan is busy working on creating something safe and timeless. And something that won't be accused of riding on the back of anything royal."