Meghan Markle Reportedly Still Preparing Presidential Run After Oprah Winfrey Interview

Rumors about Meghan Markle starting a political career have bubbled to the surface again in light of her recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which she and husband Prince Harry dropped several bombshells about the British royal family. This time, the source for the rumor is a "senior Labour figure" who worked with former Prime Minister Tony Blair and spoke with The Daily Mail this weekend. Last fall, an alleged friend of Markle's told Vanity Fair the Duchess of Sussex was interested in politics. Markle never commented on the rumors.

The senior Labour figure who spoke with The Daily Mail claims to have strong ties to Washington, D.C. "The Blairite [supporters of Blair's policies], internationalist, and Democratic party networks are buzzing with talk about Meghan's political ambitions and potential backers," the source said. The source claimed it is assumed Markle, 39, would consider running for president in 2024. Markle will "use the furor" caused by the Winfrey interview as a launchpad for her political career, the source claimed.

A source close to Markle declined to comment this time, but in late September 2020, a "close friend" of Markle's told Vanity Fair that Markle never gave up her American citizenship because she is interested in political office. If Markle and Harry completely gave up their royal titles, "she would seriously consider running for president," the friend said.

In the same Vanity Fair report though, others who work closely with the former Suits actress dismissed the idea she is interested in politics. "While there's no denying she is interested and engaged in politics as a topic, she harbors no ambition to enter a career in politics herself," a well-placed source said at the time. Megan: A Hollywood Princess author Andrew Morton also suggested Markle would be "eaten alive" if she ran for president.

Markle and Harry have tried to avoid overtly commenting on politics. They did note how important it was to vote in the 2020 presidential election when TIME Magazine listed them as two of the most influential people of the year. Markle said the election was "the most important" of our lifetime and noted, "When we vote, our values are put into action, and our voices are heard." Harry later added, "As we approach this November, it's vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation, and online negativity."

Although Markle and Harry did not specifically name a candidate they supported, this was perceived as a slight towards President Donald Trump. Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying their comments were "made in a personal capacity." Trump was even asked about their comments during a press briefing. "I'm not a fan of hers," Trump said in September. "And I would say this — and she probably has heard that — but I wish a lot of luck to Harry because he's gonna need it."