This week, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a rare joint TV appearance together for the TIME100 event, with Harry noting, "This election I am not able to vote in the U.S. But many of you may not know that I haven’t been able to vote in the U.K. my entire life. As we approach this November, it’s vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity.”
While the Royal Family — with the exception of The Queen — are legally allowed to vote, convention means they don't register. As such, most royals have refrained from making their personal political leanings known, publicly, at least. While this hasn't stopped royals, such as Prince Charles, from trying to influence policy, they're usually criticized in the press for it.
Critics pointed out the duke and duchess, who are still members of the Royal Family, shouldn't be publicly discussing politics. Buckingham Palace, however, seemed to back up the duke. A palace spokesperson said they wouldn't comment on Harry's remarks, noting, "the duke is not a working member of the Royal Family and any comments he makes are in a personal capacity.”
The Duchess of Sussex, however, is an American citizen and has the right to vote. |
