Meghan Markle Announces She Will Vote In 2020 Election, Breaking With Royal Tradition

In a rare interview with Marie Claire, Meghan Markle has confirmed that she plans to vote in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, breaking with the long-standing royal tradition of staying silent on the subject of politics.

The Duchess of Sussex joined 95 other influential women in speaking to the publication about why they intend to use their votes in the 2020 elections.

“I know what it’s like to have a voice, and also what it’s like to feel voiceless,” Meghan told the publication. “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.”

Meghan went on to share a favorite quote from Kate Sheppard, the leader of the women’s suffrage movement in New Zealand.

“Do not think your single vote does not matter much. The rain that refreshes the parched ground is made up of single drops.”

According to the magazine, Meghan said that she and Harry have often referred to this quote and explained “that is why I vote.”

Other famous faces that took part in the Marie Claire project included Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Gabrielle Union.

Although Meghan did not specify who she planned to vote for, the duchess’s decision to speak out on a political subject marks a break in tradition with royal protocol, according to The Daily Mail. Historically, members of the British royal family have remained silent on all political matters in order to maintain their politically neutral image.

However, in January, a source told the publication that Meghan was “said to be frustrated” that she was forced to stay out of politics after marrying into the firm.

“She has strong political opinions and will now take advantage of the greater freedom she has to express them publicly,” they told the newspaper.

The duchess’s interview comes shortly after The Inquisitr reported that her husband Prince Harry also ramped up his activism in a Fast Company essay that called for business leaders to reconsider their role in funding and supporting social media platforms.

In the opinion piece, Harry wrote that certain online platforms had created the conditions for a crisis of hate, and revealed that — along with Meghan — he had been making phone calls to business leaders to garner support for the movement. He called for corporations to draw a line in the sand against unacceptable practices and work toward an online world that is defined more by compassion than hate.