An article in one of Britain’s leading tabloids recently published a list of five “signs” of it Meghan Markle is considering running for political office.
Like most tabloid stories, this is nothing more than pure speculation from a source with no personal connection to Markle. What made this particular report stand out for us was a rather repugnant comparison to the former president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.
All About Meghan Markle’s Possible Political Turnaround
As Meghan Markle and her husband Prince Harry settle into their new lives in the United States, speculation about Markle’s possible interest in a political career has continued to spread. Tabloids, both American and British, have long wondered if Markle’s interest in social issues means she’s considering a political run.
In principle, when Markle was a working member of the British royal family, these speculations were largely dismissive, but now that she and Harry have stepped down, there’s renewed interest in the idea. The sunone of the four British tabloids the Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not want to work with listed five signs some royal “experts” have called evidence of Markle’s political ambitions.
Signs she’s aspiring to office?
Some of the signs listed are Markle’s earlier letter to Congress in support of paid parental leave, her statement around the time of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer, and her message encouraging Americans to vote in the 2020 presidential election.
Alleged call from the Biden camp
The final sign was reportedly her “approval of Biden,” which the misleading header would have you believe came directly from President Joe Biden, but in fact came from his sister Valerie Biden Owens, who is also the former campaign manager and close adviser to the President president is .
At a performance on Good morning BritainWhen Owens was asked if she thought Markle would be a good candidate for president, she responded, “Yeah, maybe she will,” which is a less-than-sounding endorsement, let alone some sort of presidential seal of approval.
Which other royals have gotten “political”?
These points are all easy to dismiss. Although Queen Elizabeth has made it her policy not to interfere in political affairs, her heirs, including Prince Charles and Prince William, have walked a fine line. Charles has long been a pro-environment advocate, while William has recently ruffled feathers in some royal circles after commenting on the Windrush scandal.
Now that they’re no longer working members of the royal family, Markle and Harry have more freedom than other members of their family — though they’ve promised that “everything they do will uphold Her Majesty’s values.” While some royal pundits have taken this phrase to mean they will follow suit when it comes to political comment, that’s a very specific reading for such a vague statement.
A little side glance at this section
However, the point that caught our attention was the section entitled “Trying to be like the Obamas.” The outlet vaguely cited “accusations” against Markle, who claimed she and Harry tried to be like the former first couple when they appeared on the cover of last year time Magazine.
Surely none other than Barack and Michelle Obama have ever been on the cover of time Magazine, so who else could Harry and Markle emulate? Comparing Markle and Barack’s careers, there really aren’t any notable similarities apart from the fact that both are multiracial. Also, the Obamas were involved in politics for years before Barack (and Michelle) appeared on the cover.
The emphasis must have been on the point of sale since the sources cited therein made no mention of the Obamas. Richard Fitzwiliams, the royal commentator the outlet consulted, also had a clear lack of imagination, saying of the cover: “That magazine cover made it very, very clear what’s going on in the minds of the couple – and Meghan’s in particular – and this is politics. It must be!”
He further emphasized: “They are becoming more and more visible. I think they’re looking at the politics.” Another source shared this mirror, another tabloid the Sussexes don’t want to interact with, “There are shades of the Clintons or even Kennedys. It wouldn’t be a big shock now if Meghan went into politics.”
Have Meghan Markle and Prince Harry become more political since stepping away from the royal family? Well, that depends on what your definition of “political” means. If it means advocating certain policy changes at the government level, then yes, it is political. If it’s just a matter of taking a stance on current events, that’s a little less clear.
What is Markle’s political future?
More precisely: Does Meghan Markle have political ambitions? It’s obvious that she has a keen interest in bringing about change and lobbying, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to politics. The same goes for philanthropists, who have a major impact on their community despite never having run for political office. It seems more appropriate for Markle to pursue a career in philanthropy than to attempt to run for office.
