Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are unique creatures in the celebrity ecosystem because they both are and are not royalty. Sure, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from active royal duty back in 2020, but, well, you wouldn’t just call him “Harry,” would you? There are certain things that Royals can and cannot do, and while the Sussexes aren’t technically beholden by the same rules anymore, they still kind of are.
One thing the Royal family never do is wade into politics. That likely derives from the fact the reigning monarch has to honor the choice of the British public and work with whichever Prime Minister gets elected. Likewise, they frequently have to make pleasantries with other world leaders so they can’t be seen to side against them publicly, lest things get very awkward at some fancy dinner table.
As Harry and Meghan are no longer public servants in that way and are private citizens, they should be free to declare whatever personal political views they want — and yet even the softest tip-toe in that direction is earning the couple criticism.
“A desperate attempt to stay relevant”: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle blasted for weighing in on U.S. election
This week, the duke and duchess ruffled feathers when they updated their Archewell Foundation website to include a message encouraging U.S. citizens to vote. “Voting is not just a right; it’s a fundamental way to influence the fate of our communities,” the message reads. With nary a mention of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, it’s hardly a Taylor Swift-style towering endorsement of either side.
Even so, Royal expert and biographer Hugo Vickers has taken umbrage with the couple’s decision to get involved in the political sphere at all. Vickers, who is clearly not much of a fan of the Sussexes, warned that stepping into the election discussion could be a “big danger issue for them” and that he views it as simply a “desperate attempt” to keep themselves a part of the cultural conversation.
“It’s a big danger issue for them,” Vickers alleged. “I think that everything they do is a desperate attempt to keep relevant and keep themselves in the news. They’ve moved into this kind of celebrity status situation, whereby they must always be attracting news comments, otherwise they disappear. But they definitely should not be dabbling in any kind of politics, least of all American politics. They really have no right to do it.”
Vickers’ comments seem particularly harsh and uncalled for, considering how carefully Harry and Meghan must have worded their message in order to stay as impartial as possible. Meghan, in particular, has made her feelings about the two candidates clear in the past. Back in 2016, before she was married to Harry and so constrained by any royal protocol, Meghan blasted Trump as “misogynistic” and “divisive.” Meanwhile, in 2020, she voiced how delighted she was to have a POC female Vice President for the first time, i.e. Harris.
Considering the things the Sussexes could’ve said about Harris and/or Trump, then, their message is impressively restrained. Are they fighting to stay relevant or simply doing their bit for democracy?
Published: Sep 20, 2024 12:24 pm