Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Spoke Out on the Importance of Voting
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Spoke Out on the Importance of Voting
They made a joint appearance to discuss the upcoming U.S. election.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry sat down for a joint appearance to speak out on the importance of voting in the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex filmed a video for an ABC broadcast special unveiling of the 2020 TIME 100, Time's list of the world’s 100 most influential people, which aired Tuesday — National Voter Registration Day.
"Every four years we are told the same thing, that this is the most important election of our lifetime," the duchess said. "But this one is. 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 you deserve to be heard."
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry moved to the U.S. following their step down as senior working royals, and recently bought a home in Santa Barbara. Prince Harry acknowledged that since he's not a U.S. citizen, he can't vote in the upcoming election, but encouraged Americans to exercise their civic duty and be mindful of the information they consume online.
"When the bad outweighs the good, for many, whether we realize it or not, it erodes our ability to have compassion and our ability to put ourself in someone else’s shoes," he said. "Because when one person buys into negativity online, the effects are felt exponentially. It’s time to not only reflect, but act. As we approach this November, it’s vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity."
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In recent months, the duke and duchess have worked to combat online hate speech, with their support for Stop Hate for Profit, and Harry's op-ed on redesigning social media to combat a "crisis of hate."
Meghan has also been vocal about encouraging people to make themselves heard in the upcoming election. After sharing her personal reasons for voting, she sat down for a conversation with Gloria Steinem about the importance of voting. Though her outspokenness has generated debate over how much royals should speak out about politics, Queen Elizabeth herself has previously encouraged U.K. citizens to vote.
If you're not registered to vote yet, you can register (or double-check your registration status) here today.
