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Harry faces a furious backlash amid claims of political interference after he urged people in the United States to “reject hate speech” and vote in the presidential election. In a video posted last night, he said: “As we approach November, it is vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and negativity online.” Meghan Markle also urged Americans to vote in “the most important election of our life.”
The Duke is not an active member of the Royal Family and any comments are made in a personal capacity.
But a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Duke is not an active member of the Royal Family and any comments he makes are made in a personal capacity.”
Harry remains sixth in line to the throne despite stepping down as a member of the majority royalty, and members of the royal family traditionally do not vote or engage in elections or political affairs.
Announcer Piers Morgan condemned Harry for his comments, tweeting: “Prince Harry poking his nose in the US elections and telling Americans to vote against President Trump is completely unacceptable behavior for a member of the Royal Family.”
Prince Harry has been accused of getting involved in the US elections (Image: GETTY / TIME)
A source close to Harry insisted that the duke was not referring to US President Donald Trump or anyone else when he made the remarks.
The source said: “The Duke was speaking about the tone of the debate in the run-up to an election that is already quite feverish.
“He is not talking about any specific candidate or campaign.
“He’s building on a lot of things that he’s said before about online communities, how we engage with each other online, rather than making specific political comments.”
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Prince Harry’s comments were made to ‘personal capacity’ according to Buckingham Palace (Image: TIME)
Prince Harry said he had never voted in his life. (Image: PA)
Harry reminded Americans to be picky about the content they consume online.
He said: “When the bad outweighs the good, for many, whether we realize it or not, it erodes our capacity for compassion and our capacity to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes.
“Because when a person buys negativity online, the effects are felt exponentially. It’s time to not just reflect, but act.”
Trump, who is campaigning for re-election, has often been criticized for using inflammatory language, and in August, Facebook removed one of his posts for the first time for violating its policy against spreading misinformation about the coronavirus.
Twitter began tagging Trump’s tweets with fact-checking in May.
The 36-year-old Duke said he would not vote in the elections because he was not a US citizen and confirmed that he had never voted in the UK elections.
British law does not prohibit royalty from voting, but it is considered unconstitutional for them to do so. The Queen, as constitutional head of state, is politically neutral.
Harry said: “In this election, I am not going to be able to vote here in the United States.
“But many of you may not know that I have not been able to vote in the UK in my entire life.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are carving out a new life for themselves in America. (Image: PA)
The source declined to comment on whether Harry’s phrase “this election” suggested that he would be applying for dual citizenship in the United States in order to vote in future elections.
The source said: “They are not members of the royal family. They are private citizens and it is understandable that they want to keep such matters private.”
Harry resigned as a member of the royal family with Meghan in March in an attempt to achieve personal and financial freedom and now lives in the US, but they are still members of the royal family.
The Duchess, who mocked then-Republican candidate Trump during a 2016 television appearance, said in the video that the November poll was “the most important election of our life.”
Sources close to the couple said the comments were not directed at Donald Trump. (Image: PA)
She said: “When we vote, our values are put into action and our voices are heard. Your voice is a reminder that you matter, because you do and deserve to be heard,” she said.
Meghan told feminist lawyer and activist Gloria Steinem last month that she was “very excited” to see her biracial partner Kamala Harris selected as a running mate for Democrat Joe Biden.
Steinem has said the Duchess returned home to vote and has been calling people to encourage voter participation.
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As a result of the Time video, a bookmaker now has Meghan at 100/1 chance to become president of the US in just four years.
Jessica O’Reilly of Ladbrokes said: “Since leaving the UK, Meghan has not been shy when it comes to expressing her political views, and a run for the presidency in 2024 is certainly not out of the question.”
Harry and Meghan were filmed to mark Time 100, a list compiled by the magazine to celebrate the world’s most influential people.
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