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Football fan faces 'constant abuse' on Twitter over @sussexroyal handle

Kevin Keiley says he would have given his former Instagram monocle to Prince Harry, but the decision was made "behind my back".

Prince Harry and Meghan are the fastest to hit one million Instagram followers
Image: Prince Harry and Meghan are the fastest to hit one million followers. Pic: Instagram
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A football fan has said he is being forced to quit Twitter because of "constant abuse" after he claimed his Instagram handle was given to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Kevin Keiley, from Worthing, West Sussex, chose the @sussexroyal handle when he joined the photo-sharing website because he lives in the county and supports Reading FC, whose nickname is the Royals.

Prince Harry and Meghan were given the handle on their Instagram debut this week - and Mr Keiley said nobody asked his permission beforehand.

He told ITV: "All they needed to do was tell me over email what is happening, that the royals want your name and I would've given it, but no, they went behind my back and did it without telling me."

Since then, Mr Keiley said he has had to shut his Twitter account, which had the same handle - due to abuse.

He wrote: "Due to the constant abuse I have been receiving I have made the decision to close this Twitter account.

"Should free it up nicely for anynone wanting the sussexroyal handle. Just to put the record straight I have never received a penny nor do I want anything."

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Mr Keiley said he would like an apology from Instagram, adding: "I continue to say I have nothing against Prince Harry or his family but that does not put people off the abuse."

He said he had used the account "for years", but spotted it had been changed to @_sussexroyal_ when he logged in recently.

Instagram has said the chance was in line with its policy which allows accounts to be reassigned if users are inactive.

Mr Keiley has said he was using the account to view other content and like posts.

Harry and Meghan became the fastest to reach a million followers on the site after launching their Instagram account on Tuesday.

Kensington Palace has declined to comment on the matter.