Prince Harry and Meghan Markle weigh into politics with campaign to fight election misinformation
The LA-based royals are using their star power to wade into politics, as King Charles considers extending an olive branch.
Royals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have broken with royal tradition by weighing in on politics with a new campaign fighting election misinformation ahead of the US presidential election.
It comes as King Charles is said to be considering inviting the LA-based royals and their children to Balmoral Castle for summer.
The Sussexes’ Archewell Foundation has thrown its support behind the AI + Election Security Coalition, according to Axios news, which “represents an acceleration of efforts to secure the 2024 election against threats enabled by artificial intelligence (AI).”
The coalition is run by The Future US, a “policy studio that forecasts the coming tech disruptions to future-proof America” and has the backing of high-powered figures including former Google X head of experience Tom Chi and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
The organisation has two prototype ads it is using to drum up support from Hollywood screenwriters, executives and influencers, Axios reports.
“The government isn’t talking to social media companies. Many of the social media companies don’t want anything to do with the government — which means novel AI threats could get missed,” Miles Taylor, chief policy officer of The Future US, told Axios.
It’s not the first time Harry and Meghan have waded into politics sparking speculation the duchess could enter the field.
During the 2020 election campaign, they released a video urging voters to use their vote and reject misinformation. In the footage, Harry urged voters to “reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity”, while Meghan added that the presidential race was the “most important election of our lifetime.”
Meghan was also a surprise guest at the United State of Women and When We All Vote online event, throwing her star power behind a campaign begun by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
In 2021, the Duchess led a campaign lobbying for compulsory paid leave in the US, writing to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader in the US Senate Chuck Shumer, as well as cold-calling senators to ask for their support.
More recently, Harry and Meghan expressed solidarity with families calling for greater safeguarding for children on social media after the heads of Meta, TikTok and others were grilled about the dangers faced by youngsters at a US Senate hearing.
Meanwhile, relations with the royal family may be thawing with King Charles said to be planning to invite Harry and Meghan and their children to his summer retreat.
Charles has previously met Prince Archie, 4, on a number of occasions but only seen Princess Lilibet, 2, once in person.
“I can see Charles desperately wanting to see the children, and extending this olive branch to Meghan and Harry. He may decide that life is just too short,” the New York Post reports, citing a “well-placed society source”.
“Balmoral is truly the perfect, restful place for a reunion. If he does issue an invite, then Harry and Meghan should surely agree to the visit.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle weigh into politics with campaign to fight election misinformation
‘None of us can’: King’s telling speech
The monarch has made a veiled reference to a very “painful” topic during his high-profile speech in Samoa.
Lidia Thorpe reveals shock ‘assault’ at MCG
Lidia Thorpe has revealed she was brutally assaulted at the MCG earlier this year, as she faces widespread criticism for her controversial King protest.