As ballots confirmed that the Democratic nominee Joe Biden will become the next president of
the United States, one particular voter's decision to participate in the electoral process
has become its own specific kind of controversy — that of Meghan Markle, whose husband happens
to be a member of the British royal family.
As Town & Country reported on November 3, 2020, a source close to Markle and Prince
Harry confirmed that the Duchess of Sussex, who is still a U.S. citizen, planned to cast
her vote in the 2020 election. It was later confirmed that the Duchess of Sussex actually
voted by mail before November 3rd, per the Daily Mail — a method that has dramatically
increased in the 2020 presidential race due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with
roughly 73 percent of voters opting to send in their ballots rather than going to the
polls in person, according to The Washington Post.
But what is the significance of Meghan Markle's participation in what, for other U.S. citizens
like her, is simply an exercise in civic duty? And why has it sparked a backlash? Keep watching
to find out.
As OK! magazine noted, Markle's ballot makes her the first royal in history to vote in
an American election. She and her husband, Prince Harry, stepped down from their roles
and duties as senior officials of the British royal family in March 2020, but Meghan has
retained her title as the Duchess of Sussex and is for all intents and purposes, still
considered a member of the British Royal by marriage.
Markle never revoked her American citizenship, and as Insider noted in January 2020, her
marriage to Prince Harry did not automatically grant her British citizenship, which is the
legal standard in the U.K. So despite the fact that the Duchess of Sussex happens to
have a British royal title, her citizenship status as an American is, by law, unrelated
to that fact.
The logistical realities of her status as a U.S. citizen — which granted her the right
to vote in the 2020 presidential election — hasn't deterred those critical of her
decision to cast a ballot in the first place. As OK! magazine reported, a number of critics
took to social media to chastise the Duchess of Sussex for exercising her legal right to
vote.
The ensuing backlash that arose after sources confirmed Meghan Markle's decision to vote
in the U.S. presidential election is fueled, in large part, by a long-held tradition that
members of the British royal family abstain from involvement and/or activism in general
political discourse, per the Daily Mail. One user on Twitter remarked,
"I cannot believe Meghan Markle voted. She married Prince Harry & that means you follow
Royal protocol.”
Despite the controversy Meghan's decision to vote has incited, it seems like the Duchess
of Sussex won't be backing away from political participation — a sentiment she emphasized
as recently as August 2020, per Marie Claire. She said,
"I know what it's like to have a voice, and also what it's like to feel voiceless. I also
know that so many men and women have put their lives on the line for us to be heard. And
that opportunity, that fundamental right, is in our ability to exercise our right to
vote and to make all of our voices heard."
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also relayed the following to Insider:
"Part of being an active member of society is to take part in the democratic process.
So encouraging people to get involved in politics is something that is important."
Meghan Markle's decision to cast her ballot by an early mail-in vote is far from the first
time she's participated in the political sphere. As Vanity Fair noted in November 2020, both
Meghan and her husband have spent the months leading up to Election Day actively voicing
their support for numerous causes within the realm of activism. Among these include remarks
the Duchess of Sussex made in a video in the wake of the death of George Floyd in May 2020,
in which she emphasized her belief that "Black lives matter," especially as a woman of color
herself.
Meghan's video, which was made as a virtual address to the graduating class of a high
school based in her hometown of Los Angeles, urged viewers to participate in activism relating
to social justice. She said,
"We are seeing people stand in solidarity, we are seeing communities come together and
to uplift. And you are going to be part of this movement."
Alongside Harry, the Duchess of Sussex also spoke about the importance of voting in a
special produced in conjunction with Time magazine in September 2020. Meghan stated
during the program:
"Every four years, we're told, 'This is the most important election of our lifetime. But
this one is. When we vote our values are put into action, and our voices are heard."
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