Meghan Markle hasn’t endorsed Kamala Harris. Beyonce? Yes. Taylor Swift? Yep.
But Meghan?
Political endorsements from celebrities are nothing new. From rousing, topical speeches to confusing lunacy, celebrities and simply famous people alike have spoken about the 2024 election.
But, as people from all over the country and all over the world hold their breath to find out whether a few thousand swing voters will choose progress or despair.
Amidst all of the noise, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry haven’t endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Why is that?
Meghan Markle hasn’t publicly endorsed VP Kamala Harris
Much hinges upon the 2024 election. There are numerous high-stakes gubernatorial and senate races. Countless local elections can have dire consequences. And, of course, the national and state legislatures control much more than many people realize.
However, all eyes are on the Presidential race. Disgraced former president Donald Trump is running for the third time in a row. Unlike in 2016, the world is grimly aware that he could win — and how dire the consequences can be.
Duchess Meghan Markle has been outspoken about her activism on various topics for years. She and husband Prince Harry have used their platforms to spread positive messages for years. So why are they so quiet? Not silent — but quiet?
In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a message encouraging Americans to “vote against hate speech.”
That was a nearly explicit endorsement of the Biden-Harris presidential ticket, and a rebuke of Trump, who at that time occupied the White House. Basically everyone interpreted it as an endorsement, and some reports claimed that the endorsement had angered the royal family.
Of course, reports seem to suggest that just about everything that Meghan and Harry do angers the royal family. At this point, could that really stop them from endorsing a presidential candidate?
What HAS Meghan Markle had to say about the 2024 election?
On the Archewell foundation website, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle addressed the 2024 election without endorsing Kamala Harris (or, obviously, Donald Trump).
“Using Vote Forward’s impactful letter-writing tool, our team wrote personalized letters encouraging unregistered voters to take a crucial step: registering to vote,” the statement begins. “Voting is not just a right; it’s a fundamental way to influence the fate of our communities.”
The statement continues: “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. Together, let’s make sure every eligible voter is informed and empowered to participate in shaping America’s future.”
In general, “get out the vote” messaging tends to be Democratic in leaning. In recent decades, higher voter turnout results in higher wins for Democrats. That, of course, has prompted a wave of voter suppression across the nation.
Some wonder if Meghan Markle held back from endorsing Kamala Harris due to some particular disagreement. Famously, the Biden administration has fallen considerably short on the genocide in Gaza. And Biden has disappointingly capitulated to GOP talking points on the US-Mexico border. (We do think that she’s too smart to fall for the “protest vote” trap, which is always counter-productive)
However, some speculate that Meghan and Harry stopped short of endorsing Kamala Harris openly because of the threat of a Trump victory. If he were to retake the Oval Office, he would have the power to retaliate against his perceived enemies. And he has explicitly threatened to do so, repeatedly.
Does Donald Trump actually care?
“Truthfully, I don’t give a damn about Prince Harry, and I don’t think this country does either,” Eric Trump claimed to The Daily Mail. This follows Trump having menaced that Prince Harry could be deported if he retakes the White House.
“I don’t give a damn if he did drugs,” Eric added. “It means nothing.”
We don’t normally say this, but Eric Trump is right about two things. First, absolutely, most Americans do not care about the British royal family unless something funny happens. Second, no reasonable person could care if Prince Harry did drugs.