Since dramatically quitting her royal role, Meghan Markle has dabbled in several different projects.
From her Netflix series to her Archetypes podcast and now her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, Meghan has branched out when it comes to her career. However, one ambition that she has long been rumoured to harbour is very different to her current line of work. Much has been made of Meghan’s political ambitions, especially as she once revealed in an interview how she loved politics – and several years ago cold called senators to lobby them in a campaign she was involved in to increase parental leave.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Colombia earlier this year (
Image:
Archewell Foundation via Getty Images)
In fact, when she was a junior in college where she studied theatre and international relations, with the help of her father’s brother Mick, she secured an internship working at the US embassy in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires. According to the biography Finding Freedom, this work experience allowed “a twenty-year-old Meghan to broaden her horizons beyond the stage”.
However, her hopes of furthering her political hopes suffered a blow after the book revealed she failed a major test. The authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand write: “Meghan took the Foreign Service Officer Test, a prerequisite for a job as a State Department officer.
“When she didn’t pass the highly competitive test, she was extremely disappointed. She wasn’t used to failing. It was a major blow to the confidence she had always tried to protect.” However, that didn’t seemingly signal an end of Meghan’s interest in politics. Just last month, she and Prince Harry waded into the upcoming US presidential election in an unusual move with a statement.
Harry and Meghan in a video before the 2020 US presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump (
Image:
Internet Unknown)
It came as the couple’s charitable foundation The Archewell Foundation marked National Voter Registration Day with members of the charity’s team writing letters urging people to sign up to vote ahead of polling day on November 5.
In a post on its website, the foundation explained how its staff “came together for a meaningful volunteer activity to support and empower our communities.” It added: “Using Vote Forward’s impactful letter-writing tool, our team wrote personalized letters encouraging unregistered voters to take a crucial step: registering to vote.”
And in a statement, it urged people to use their vote, adding: “Voting is not just a right; it’s a fundamental way to influence the fate of our communities. At The Archewell Foundation, we recognize that civic engagement, no matter one’s political party, is at the heart of a more just and equitable world. By participating in initiatives like this, we aim to amplify the message that every voice matters.
“Together, let’s make sure every eligible voter is informed and empowered to participate in shaping America’s future.” However, the couple nor the foundation has personally or publicly endorsed either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the race for the White House.
Working royals in the UK usually refrain from commenting on politics or voting in elections. However, it is not the first time Harry and Meghan have urged those in the US to use their vote. In September 2020, at the time of the last US presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the couple appeared in a video message and urged Americans to ‘vote against hate speech’.
In the video broadcast as part of Time 100 magazine’s annual list of the top 100 most influential people, Harry also explained how he would not be able to vote and had never voted in the UK as a member of the Royal Family.
While they did not specifically mention anyone by name, the remarks were interpreted as referring to US President Donald Trump, with some claiming it was a breach of the Sandringham Summit agreement, which was written up when the couple quit their royal duties in 2020.
