President Markle? The secret of Meghan’s political future

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“Well Gloria, it looks like you and I will be traveling to DC together soon.”

With these words, uttered during an “entertainment” piece for Fashion with Gloria Steinem considering overturning the Supreme Court decision Roe v. calfMeghan Markle has once again sparked speculation that she may be considering a new act in her life, this time as a full-fledged political activist.

It was perhaps unfortunate timing on Meghan’s part that she decided to do the interview just days ahead of the known date when the royal reports were released, a normally dry event that became unusually interesting this year as the palace a had broken earlier promise to publish report of alleged bullying by Meghan when she was a working member of the royal family residing in the UK.

As welcome as this olive branch from the palace may be to Harry and Meghan personally, it has put Meghan back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. But that shouldn’t detract from the importance of the interview itself, which, in its blunt and strident criticism of the Supreme Court’s decision to turn back the clock on women’s rights, was exactly what Meghan could never have done, if she had remained part of the royal family.

How far do Meghan’s ambitions go? One of their main naysayers, Dan Wooton, writes in the Daily mailShe quoted one of her close associates as telling him (while Meghan was still a member of the royal family): “I am now convinced that something bigger is going on here – an eventual plan which is to run for office in America ‘ the courtier confided in a moment of frustration over allegations of her client’s increasingly uncontrollable behavior. “She is obsessed with US politics. I think we (the royal family) are now just a stepping stone to something that they feel is much more important and attractive.”

But Wootton says those political ambitions could be dashed if the nature and scale of the bullying allegations against Markle, which the Palace wants to bury forever, emerge. And given what is usually the case in today’s world, how does the palace intend to keep everything secret to maintain some sort of royal family peace?

Speaking of Harry’s family, the sort of intervention Meghan made this week is completely off-limits to that other remarkably wayward royal, Prince Charles. And while he probably doesn’t have much to say on US constitutional abortion rights, he does have a lot to say on other issues. As such, he’ll likely view Meghan’s newfound hotness with grudging respect, admiration, and maybe even a tinge of jealousy.

He has been relentlessly criticized for his “meddling” over the years, often comparing it negatively to his mother’s inscrutableness. That hasn’t stopped him from throwing himself into a whole host of debates, however, and he’s spoken out openly on a cornucopia of issues ranging from agriculture and conservation to climate change, alternative medicine and architecture.

“He’s not going to just shut up when he becomes king,” a friend of Charles’s told The Daily Beast. The friend added that Charles can be frustrated by what he perceives as the shackles his role places on his ability to speak and act freely on issues close to his heart.

While Charles expresses his opinion “privately” before it becomes public knowledge, Meghan very publicly expressed what millions of other people are saying publicly and privately: that the ruling is “a blueprint for the reversal of rights”. The ruling is a signal for the future of same-sex marriage, access to contraception and many fundamental rights to privacy. It feels like the tip of the iceberg and is one of the reasons people are so scared.”

When asked if women’s rights were an issue she wanted to address, Meghan said: “Absolutely. To be at home, to see what is happening in our country and to feel energized and motivated, if this is the kind of legislation we need to push through, then this is a moment I will definitely show up for . Not just because it’s what we need as women, but because it’s what we need as humans.”

Republican politicians, of course, immediately attacked Meghan, not just for her views, but for expressing them.

While many criticize Meghan and Harry as amateurish millionaires, the play actually illustrated the extraordinary distance Harry and Meghan have now distanced themselves from the studied ambiguity and professionally neutral attitude that characterizes British royal life – some would say calcified.

There will inevitably be some critics who will say it was bad form on Meghan’s part to reveal Harry’s political views on the matter – she said her husband is a feminist and described his horrified reaction to the SCOTUS decision as “guttural” – provided he is still sixth in line to the throne and has a rudimentary constitutional role as so-called ‘Councillor of State’, who can act with another person on behalf of the Queen in the event of her incompetence.

However, others will applaud Meghan’s overtly political stance in the interview, saying it’s high time she started using her role to advocate and influence causes she believes in, rather than just a millionaire lifestyle to enjoy in Montecito.

While campaigning on big issues feels like a natural next step for Meghan (her office has not responded to a request for comment), there is little expectation that Meghan will actually campaign for office. For one, where would she run and when? California’s registration deadline for the next round of elections has long since expired.

And realistically, running for and holding public office is very different from voting for and supporting causes that matter.

As political strategist Jon McHenry told The Daily Beast, “It’s striking how few celebrities — whether from the A-list to the D-list — actually run for office.”

Meghan may not care.

According to the book, on her first date with Prince Harry find freedom; “Harry talked about his charity work and excitedly told her stories of his extensive travels to Africa. Their ‘passion for wanting to make a difference’, as Harry described it, was, as Meghan said, ‘one of the first things we bonded over’.”

It seems to be a passion that has certainly not passed.