Meghan Markle and Prince Harry endorsing a candidate in the presidential election would influence more than 40 percent of Americans, according to polling for Newsweek.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex campaigned vocally for Americans to go out and vote in 2020, attempting to walk a delicate tightrope of neutrality despite Meghan calling for the "change we all need and deserve." They have never formally endorsed a candidate.
Meghan's views on Donald Trump are, however, not a mystery. She spoke out against him before meeting Harry, and it's claimed the prince spoke negatively about the Republican former president when he reportedly fell for a telephone prank by Russian tricksters posing as Greta Thunberg.
This time around, the couple have been silent as Trump battles to get back into the White House and Joe Biden clings on to the presidency amid fears about his age and health.
What the Polling Says
Redfield & Wilton, on behalf of Newsweek, asked a representative sample of 1,500 Americans how they would react to a Meghan and Harry endorsement.
Around 21 percent said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by the Sussexes compared to 20 percent who would be less likely and 48 percent who said it would make no difference.
The data suggests 30 percent would support the couple making an endorsement, while 34 percent said they would neither approve nor disapprove and 26 percent said they would be against such a move.
The numbers suggest Harry and Meghan's influence over U.S. public opinion in 2024 falls someway short of perceptions in 2020 when the carefully chosen comments they made caused enough of a backlash that Trump himself was moved to comment.
Their influence was strongest among those planning to vote for Biden, of whom 29 percent said they were more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by the Sussexes and 13 percent said less likely.
It was weaker among those planning to vote Trump, of whom 19 percent said they were more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by the Sussexes and 27 percent said they were less likely.
They did, however, have some sway among younger voters, including Gen Z (34 percent more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by the Sussexes and 19 percent less likely) and millennials (28 percent more likely and 16 percent less likely).
Likelihood of an Endorsement
Nick Ede, a brand and culture expert, told Newsweek: "I've always said that Meghan is somebody who has wanted or eyed up the office of some sort, whether as a mayor or going further, but I think on this occasion they're probably going to keep quiet.
"All eyes are still on Harry and Meghan, whether that's his visa to still live in America, which has been questioned quite a few times due to his admissions about drugs, plus Meghan is really, really wanting to launch her new brand, she's got her Netflix show coming out which is showing her as the next Martha Stewart, domestic goddess.
"So I think they'll want to be quite vanilla unfortunately for this election, which a lot of celebrities are being. It seems to be a bit of trend, they're not jumping on the bandwagon so much for Biden."
Harry, Meghan and Donald Trump
The Heritage Foundation is suing the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to force the release of Harry's visa application after he revealed in his book Spare that he had taken a variety of drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, magic mushrooms and ayahuasca.
It argues that if Harry was honest and disclosed his past drug use when applying, then the Department of Homeland Security must have given him favorable treatment.
And Trump has commented on the case, hinting that Harry's visa could be under threat should he win in November.
Asked whether the duke should get favorable treatment, the former president replied: "No. We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action."
Asked if that meant Harry "not staying in America," Trump said: "Oh, I don't know. You'll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago."
Back in 2020, first Meghan and later Harry urged Americans to vote in ways that were ostensibly neutral, though Meghan's initial comments were during an event for Michelle Obama's When All Women Vote initiative.
Meghan said that August: "We're only 75 days away from election day. That is so very close and yet there's so much work to be done in that amount of time. Because we all know what's at stake this year. I know it.
"I think all of you certainly know it and if you're here on this fun event with us then you are just as mobilized and energized to see the change we all need and deserve."
Harry also called on voters to "reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity," in a video for Time 100 in September 2020.
Trump fired back that same month, saying: "I'm not a fan of hers and I would say this, and she probably has heard that... but I wish a lot of luck to Harry. He's going to need it."
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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