Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are set to wade into US politics once again as the 2024 presidential election approaches. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, through their Archewell Foundation, have launched a campaign to combat misinformation and prepare American voters for a potential "deepfake onslaught" during the upcoming election season.
According to a report from Axios, the couple's foundation is part of a bipartisan coalition supported by Hollywood power players, working to raise awareness about the potential misuse of deepfake technology and media manipulation by both "malicious state actors and domestic political operatives." The campaign aims to educate and empower voters to discern between genuine information and deceptive content.
"A bipartisan coalition with support from Hollywood power players and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell Foundation is working to prepare US voters for a possible deepfake onslaught as the campaign year goes into high gear," the Archewell Foundation states on its website.
Tech giants Google, Meta, and OpenAI have pledged to combat deceptive AI election content, while Jesse Dylan, son of Bob Dylan, has produced two advertisements to raise awareness about the issue. The Archewell Foundation is also "helping brainstorm new content" to support the cause.
Since stepping down as senior royals and relocating to the United States, Harry and Meghan have become increasingly involved in American politics. During the 2020 election, the couple released a video urging voters to register and reject misinformation. In the video, Harry asked voters to "reject hate speech, misinformation, and online negativity," while Meghan emphasized the importance of the presidential race, calling it the "most important election of our lifetime."
As a British citizen, Harry is unable to vote in the US and revealed that he has never voted in the UK, adhering to the royal tradition of staying out of politics. However, Meghan's activism and outspokenness on social issues have fueled speculation about her potential move into politics.
In 2021, the Duchess of Sussex led a campaign lobbying for compulsory paid parental leave in the US, writing to top politicians and cold-calling senators to garner support. The couple also hired Miranda Barbot, the PR guru responsible for Barack Obama's re-election campaign in 2012, to "overhaul their image," further stoking rumors of Meghan's political aspirations.
"There are shades of the Clintons or even Kennedys," an insider told The Mirror. "It wouldn't be a huge shock now if Meghan went into politics."
Meghan's activism dates back to her childhood when she wrote to Procter & Gamble about a sexist advertising campaign. Throughout her acting career, she remained an outspoken advocate for feminism and was named a United Nations Women's Advocate for Women's Political Participation and Leadership in 2015.
As the 2024 US election draws closer, expected to be a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, Harry and Meghan's involvement in the fight against election misinformation highlights their growing influence in American politics. While their efforts aim to protect the integrity of the democratic process, speculation about Meghan's potential political ambitions continues to mount.
