Here's What We Know About Whether Or Not Meghan Markle Voted In The Midterms
It's Election Day, and across the United States, millions of Americans are exercising their right to vote in what's been called the election of a lifetime by voters and politicians alike. You've probably seen posts from all of your favorite celebrities about getting out to vote, but what about the Duchess of Sussex? Did Meghan Markle vote in the 2018 midterm elections? Kensington Palace gave a vague answer, and quite frankly, the whole thing is a little confusing. Elite Daily reached out to Kensington Palace for comment on whether or not Markle voted in the midterm elections, but the Palace said they are not currently commenting on the story.
Royal officials also told People that they had "no comment" about whether or not Markle voted in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections. It's tough to know whether their refusal to comment is because she did or did not vote, but I'll let you be the judge of that.
You probably remember when Markle famously wed Prince Harry at St. Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19. Since then, Markle has been in the process of applying for her British citizenship. Technically speaking, and by law, Markle is still a citizen of the U.S since her British credentials have not yet been approved. The citizenship process can seriously take a while. According to the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the United Kingdom, all U.S. citizens living across the pond can get their blank ballots electronically. For these reasons, it is possible that Markle could have voted in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections.
As reported by Cosmopolitan, the royal family does not typically partake in voting and tries to remain as neutral as possible when it comes to taking a stance on politicians and political issues, according to royal protocol. More specifically, as the Head of State, the Queen of England is unable to vote in elections. Members of the royal family are expected to follow suit.
While protocol indicates that royals should keep their political opinions to themselves, Markle has not shied away from letting the world know about how important it is to vote. During the most recent 16-day royal tour, Markle gave an impassioned speech about women's voting rights, according to People. At an event celebrating the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand, the 37-year-old mom-to-be told a crowd of spectators that "women’s suffrage is about feminism, but feminism is about fairness."
According to People, the Duchess of Sussex continued on to say that, “Suffrage is not simply about the right to vote but also about what that represents: the basic and fundamental human right of being able to participate in the choices for your future and that of your community, the involvement and voice that allows you to be a part of the very world that you are a part of.”
It is tough to say if these comments could be indicative of her own personal voting history, but her words ring truer than ever. People reports that Markle wrote about the significance of voting back in Nov. 2016 on her now defunct blog The Tig.
It may never be known whether or not Markle actually voted in the 2018 midterms, but it seems that voting is an important right that she believes all citizens of the world should take part in. If you have not already, take her advice and head to the polls today to cast your vote in the 2018 midterm elections. Just make sure locate your designated polling place before it's too late.
