The now former Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, wants to become more “politically engaged” and may even go so far as to get involved in the US presidential election, according to an exclusive by the Daily Mail.
A source close to Buckingham Palace reportedly told the Mail that, “the Duchess is said to be frustrated that she was forced to stay out of politics after getting engaged to Harry.”
“She has strong political opinions and will now take advantage of the greater freedom she has to express them publicly,” the source added. The Mail also claims that its inside source alleged that Markle may even try to wade into the upcoming 2020 US presidential election, but did not specify exactly how.
Even before meeting Prince Harry, Miss Markle was known to harbour strong political views. During the 2016 US presidential election, she criticised Donald Trump as a “misogynist” and scolded him as “divisive.” She also refused to meet the US president as part of the royal family when he visited the UK in May 2019. Just before that visit, Mr Trump told the Sun newspaper that he thought Markle’s 2016 comments were “nasty."
Although Meghan, along with Harry, has recently stepped back from her royal duties, meaning that she is no longer bound by the royal convention of political neutrality, there are reportedly concerns that any renewal of attacks on President Trump could create diplomatic awkwardness between the US and the UK, and damage the British monarchy’s reputation.
The Express reported last week that they had been informed by a White House source that Meghan’s departure from Buckingham Palace and her royal duties, “no doubt means resuming her vitriol against President Trump. He [Trump] isn’t naive enough to believe that Prime Minister Boris Johnson can do anything about that. And he wouldn’t ask.”
However, the insider reportedly added that, “President Trump has a genuine deep-felt respect and admiration for the Queen. This is something he inherited from his mother, who came from Scotland. But Markle has now effectively abandoned the Royal Family that embraced her. Frankly, she will be fair game in the President’s eyes. If she criticises him openly, you’d better get ready, because he will respond in kind.”
Alongside her past comments on politics, Markle is also known to be well connected to high-profile Western political elites. She is said to be a close friend of Jessica Mulroney, the daughter-in-law of Canada’s former prime minister Brian Mulroney. Furthermore, she is also allegedly on good terms with Canada’s incumbent prime minister, Justin Trudeau. Miss Markle was also a particularly vocal supporter of Hilary Clinton in the 2016 US presidential election.
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