Feminist icon Gloria Steinem has claimed that the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has been “cold-calling” US citizens to urge them to vote in November’s presidential election.
Ms Markle, who stepped back from royal duties alongside her husband Prince Harry when they moved to Los Angeles in March, sat down with the 86-year-old for a “backyard chat” last month, according to the Daily Mail.
During the discussion, the two discussed a range of issues facing the US in the upcoming election, including women’s rights, voter suppression and representation.
The former Suits star was raised in Los Angeles, and Ms Steinem revealed to Access Hollywood last week that the Duchess said that she has been cold-calling Americans to urge them to vote in November.
Ms Steinem said: “She came home to vote. The first thing we did, and why she came to see me, was we sat at the dining room table where I am right now and we cold-called voters.
“Said ‘hello I’m Meg’ and ‘hello I’m Gloria’ and ‘are you going to vote?’ That was her initiative.”
Ms Steinem, described the 39-year-old as “smart” and “political” and added that she had the royal “stereotype hanging over her head.”
Since stepping back from royal duty in March, Ms Markle has become more outspoken on politics, and has repeatedly highlighted the importance of voting in the upcoming US election.
Earlier in the year, an insider told the Mail that Ms Markle had become “frustrated” with the constraints of being a royal, as members of the family are generally expected to be politically neutral.
“The Duchess is said to be frustrated that she was forced to stay out of politics after getting engaged to Harry,” the source said.
“She has strong political opinions and will now take advantage of the greater freedom she has to express them publicly,” they added.
Ms Markle has not publicly stated who she is supporting in the upcoming election, but in 2016 branded Donald Trump “misogynistic” and “divisive” shortly after he had been elected president.
The Duchess also told Ms Steinem last month that she was excited to see that Kamala Harris had been picked as the running mate for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Ms Harris will be the first African American, Asian American and woman to serve as vice president if the Democrats win in November, and the Duchess said: “I’m so excited to see that kind of representation.”
She added: “You know, for me, being biracial, growing up, whether it was a doll or a person in office, you need to see someone who looks like you in some capacity.
“As many of us believe, you can only be what you can see. And in the absence of that, how can you aspire to something greater than what you see in your own world?
“I think maybe now we’re starting to break-through in a different way.”
