The son of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry might not have a name yet, but his future is looking bright, with an exciting list of things he might do in the future. One of the options being discussed is how he could one day run for president in his mother’s native country, the U.S., as he currently is a British citizen and an American citizen as well. Sure, nailing down the details of this scenario won’t be important for 35 years, but it is a discussion taking place online.
While there are some jokes about an English plan to take back the American Colonies, at this time, Meghan Markle is still an American citizen, according to Town & Country . A spokesperson for Kensington Palace confirmed Monday that it is Duchess Meghan’s intention to become a British citizen, but the process takes a number of years and it’s “too early to say” if she will retain dual citizenship.
Royal expert Marlene Koenig says that Markle can renounce her American citizenship, but she doesn’t have to.
“If she remains a U.S. national, her children will have dual nationality just like Madeleine of Sweden’s children.”
But getting down to the question of whether or not the son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could run for president, the answer is yes, according to Town & Country , if he “pulls a Ted Cruz.”
Ted Cruz is the Texas congressman who has run for president despite being born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to an American mother and a Cuban father. Cruz claims that despite being born in Canada, since he was born of an American mother, he is a “natural born citizen.”
The Harvard Law Review took on this exact topic, and came to the conclusion that if a child is born to an American citizen in another country, then they are still American. The law review came to the conclusion that the Supreme Court and British common law find this to be the case.
“Both confirm that the original meaning of the phrase ‘natural born Citizen’ includes persons born abroad who are citizens from birth based on the citizenship of a parent.”
So Baby Sussex could run for president in 35 years if he doesn’t renounce his U.S. citizenship, and if before officially running for office in his mother’s country of birth, he renounces British citizenship, per the foreign emoluments clause: Article I, Section 9, which states that “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States], shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”
In other words, Master Sussex wouldn’t be able to serve two masters if he wants to hold any office in the United States.
Time says that Ted Cruz didn’t follow protocol, and kept his dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship until he was called out by The Dallas Morning News , at which time Cruz relinquished his link to Canada.
“Nothing against Canada, but I’m an American by birth and as a U.S. senator, I believe I should be only an American.”
