The Duchess of Sussex has denied that she wanted to be a US Senator amid claims she met with California’s governor in the hopes of being appointed to Kamala Harris’s Senate seat.
The New York Post reported that she pursued the political ambition shortly before the 2020 election.
Meghan Markle requested a meeting with California Governor Gavin Newsom weeks before the presidential election because she wanted to be considered for the appointment, according to the outlet.
A source for the Duchess has firmly denied this claim.
Newsom’s office confirmed that the governor met with Harry and Meghan in an ‘introductory meeting’ on October 2020 but has not publicly disclosed the subjects discussed.
Sources claimed that prior to Biden’s victory over Donald Trump, Markle wanted a meeting to be portrayed as a ‘welcome-to-California’ sit-down for the royals.
However, they claim she was also seeking the US Senate seat that Harris was set to leave to become Biden’s vice president.
The seat was eventually given to California’s Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who then won election to a full, six-year term in 2022.
The Post report also alleges that the couple asked to meet Joe Biden in the Oval Office in 2021 but were shut down by White House staff.
Biden sources claim that it was rejected on the grounds that it would have caused issues with the UK’s prime minister and the rest of the royal family.
Reportedly, both President and First Lady Jill Biden ‘didn’t want to get into a family squabble’ given their affection for Queen Elizabeth II.
They also allegedly asked if they could fly back to the United States alongside the Bidens on Air Force One following the queen’s funeral and the source claimed they were promptly rebuffed.
The royal couple hired consultants who had worked for both President Barack Obama and Biden, including ex-Press Secretary and current MS Now host Jen Psaki, the outlet said.
Prince Harry’s current chief of staff, Miranda Barbot, herself a former Obama staffer, was used as a conduit between the royals and the White House, the report stated.
