The Duchess of Sussex has proven lately that she isn’t afraid to get political.
In a recent speech during her tour of New Zealand, she praised the women who had fought for the right to vote. “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.”
So, it’s clear that Meghan Markle wants people to get out and vote— but can she? Markle grew up in Los Angeles and, though she is in the process of applying for British citizenship, she remains a U.S. citizen. This means the Duchess is technically allowed to vote.
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However, the royal family has made a point of remaining politically neutral. The official United Kingdom government website states that “Although not prohibited by law, it is considered unconstitutional for the Monarch to vote in an election.” This may be more true of British politics than the United States, though.
Kensington Palace responded with “no comment” when asked by People if Markle had voted. But, given her passion on the subject, one hopes she found a way to make her voice heard in this crucial midterm election. If the duchess managed to make secret visits to Toronto and Chicago after becoming a royal, she could certainly arrange for a top-secret absentee ballot.
“The right to vote is something for which blood, sweat, and tears have been shed;” she wrote on her blog back in 2016, “the struggle was endless for us to have this liberty.”