Speculation mounts Meghan Markle is considering a run in US politics

It’s been one of the most persistent claims since she left royal duties – and there’s an intriguing reason why many believe it could be about to happen.

Speculation is mounting that Meghan Markle could be in the running for a seat in US politics.

Following the death of 90-year-old senator Dianne Feinstein, Californian governor Gavin Newsom is now on the hunt for her replacement, who will serve the remaining 13 months of her term before the next election.

While there’s been no official comment from any of the parties involved, according to The Mail on Sunday, a major Democratic donor close to the Governor has hinted that Meghan’s name has been raised as an option.

“Meghan is definitely a longshot but in the craziness that is US politics these days it’s not an impossibility. Crazier things have happened,” the insider told the publication.

The MoS added that within minutes of Senator Feinstein’s death being announced on Friday, phones “lit up” with speculation that the Duchess of Sussex could “throw her hat in the ring”.

Adding some weight to the claim is the fact that Meghan has reportedly long held ambitions for a political career, with previous reports suggesting she had been “networking among senior Democrats” following her move to the States with Prince Harry in 2020.

It’s been widely reported for some time that Meghan has political aspirations. Picture: Ben Stansall/Pool/AFP

That same year, according to reports, she held a virtual hour-long meeting with Governor Newsom amid his search for a replacement for Californian senator Kamala Harris, after she was chosen as then-Presidential candidate Joe Biden as his Vice President.

While the Governor ultimately chose a different candidate, speculation is now rife that Meghan’s time may possibly come now that he’s found himself in a similar situation.

An insider told the MoS that he had promised to replace Feinstein with a woman of colour – and with just over a year until the next election, “the problem he now faces is that all the best candidates have already announced they will be running for Feinstein’s seat”.

As a result, Governor Newsom “cannot elect any of those candidates to the position now as it would be seen as a huge, and very unfair, advantage.”

“If he puts any of the very good black women candidates in the job now he will be accused of favouritism,” the source told the publication.

“So he needs to find a woman of colour who can do the job for 13 months and will agree to not stand against any of the seasoned politicians who have already thrown their hats into the ring. There are not that many women who fit the bill. Which is why Meghan’s name is being bandied about.”

Since leaving the UK and royal duties behind, Meghan has been building on her network of political contacts in her home country, and is now close friends with Democratic powerhouse Gloria Steinem.

A friend of the trailblazing journalist and activist told the MoS that she had been providing introductions for Meghan to “pivotal people” within the Democratic Party.

“Meghan is interested in politics more than anything else. That’s where she believes her power is but she has had to focus on making money,” the source said.

But according to the New York Post, there are some sceptical voices within Democrat ranks.

“I don’t think you can take Meghan seriously,” one source said.

The couple has been associated with many in the Democratic circle since moving to California. Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

The latest speculation about Meghan’s next career move comes just over a week after it was revealed she’d given up on her bid to trademark her podcast, Archetypes – in a huge sign that she was abandoning plans for it to continue.

It followed news earlier this year that her and Harry’s multimillion-dollar Spotify deal had collapsed, meaning the streaming giant was not renewing her series for a second season.

At the time of the high-profile termination, which was reportedly a “mutual” decision between both parties, it was suggested that Meghan was hoping to take Archetypes elsewhere.

The Wall Street Journal quoted an Archewell spokesman as saying she was “continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.”

However, last month the Daily Mail reported that the applications to trademark the podcast title had been withdrawn following an unsuccessful 17-month process.

Originally published as Speculation mounts Meghan Markle is considering a run in US politics