Meghan Markle could 'seriously consider running for president' if she gave up her title, a source close to the duchess told Vanity Fair
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Darcy Schild
Sep 27, 2020, 21:51 IST
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.Chris Jackson/Getty Images
An article published on Thursday in Vanity Fair suggests that a source close to the Duchess of Sussex thinks Markle would consider running for president if she didn't have a royal title.
"One of the reasons [Markle] was so keen not to give up her American citizenship was so she had the option to go into politics," the source told royal correspondent Katie Nicholl.
"I think if Meghan and Harry ever gave up their titles she would seriously consider running for president," the source continued.
Markle has veered from royal tradition by urging Americans to be civically engaged, and on Tuesday, she joined Prince Harry in a TV spot for TIME 100 and encouraged people to vote.
Despite the rumors of her hypothetical presidential aspirations, Markle has never publicly spoken about wanting to have a career in politics.
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An article published on Thursday in Vanity Fair cites a source close to Meghan Markle who said they think the duchess would consider running for president if she didn't have a royal title.
"One of the reasons she was so keen not to give up her American citizenship was so she had the option to go into politics," a close friend of the royal told Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl. "I think if Meghan and Harry ever gave up their titles she would seriously consider running for president."
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment about Markle's rumored presidential aspirations.
Markle could hypothetically be eligible to run for president if she didn't have a royal title, as she's 39 (the minimum age is 35) and is a natural-born US citizen who has lived in the US for more than 14 years (the minimum required length).
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However, the idea of Markle becoming involved in US politics is purely hypothetical and not confirmed at this point.
"While there's no denying she is interested and engaged in politics as a topic, she harbors no ambition to enter a career in politics herself," a source close to Markle told Nicholl for Vanity Fair.
While Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have encouraged US citizens to vote, neither has publicly spoken about aspiring to have a career in politics
Harry and Markle announced nine months ago that they would step down from official royal duties. Since then, they have dropped their official HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles and no longer do charity work on behalf of the Queen.
Now, they are living in Santa Barbara, California, with their son, Archie Harrison. Harry and Markle have spoken about the importance of voting ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
"Every four years we are told the same thing, that this is the most important election of our lifetime," Markle said in the video. "But this one is. When we vote, our values are put into action and our voices are heard. Your voice is a reminder that you matter, because you do and you deserve to be heard."
Harry, who can't vote in this election because he is not a US citizen, and was not allowed to vote in UK elections because royals are expected to be politically neutral, encouraged people to "not only reflect, but act."
"As we approach this November, it's vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation, and online negativity," Harry said in the TIME 100 video.
A post shared by MAKERS Women (@makerswomen) on Aug 25, 2020 at 12:32pm PDT
Markle has not outwardly revealed her political affiliation, but in her When We All Vote speaking engagement, she said: "We all know what's at stake" in regards to the presidential election. She also called people who do not vote "complicit."
Markle's comments on urging US citizens to vote have led British commentator Piers Morgan and two UK politicians to demand that her "Sussex" title be revoked, as members of the royal family are expected to be politically neutral.
However, the Queen once encouraged the public to vote in 2003 after a low voter turnout in Wales — and her title was not revoked for encouraging people to be civically engaged, as Insider's Mikhaila Friel reported.
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