Gavin Newsom's office confirms the virtual meeting which took place on October 19, two weeks before the presidential election, and describes it as an 'introductory meeting.'
- Feb 8, 2021
AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle and Prince Harry risked irritating the British royal family by holding a secret meeting with California Governor Gavin Newsom. The couple's summit with the top U.S. Democrat was unveiled in a memo seen by The Sun.
According to the U.K.'s news outlet, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent an hour chatting to Newsom. The virtual conference reportedly took place on October 19, two weeks before the presidential election, while the governor was in the midst of deciding who would fill Vice President Kamala Harris' spot in the U.S. Senate. The governor ultimately selected Alex Padilla to succeed Harris.
Newsom's office has confirmed the virtual meeting with Markle and Harry, describing it as an "introductory meeting." The office, however, refused to further detail what was discussed during the summit, as a spokesman said, "We do not comment on the content of meetings between the Governor and private parties or his staff."
The secret meeting with Newsom took place weeks after Markle and Harry were widely criticized for urging Americans to vote in the contest between then-President Donald Trump and now-President Joe Biden. While they had stepped down as senior members of the royal family, under terms of the "Megxit deal" they are expected to stay out of politics.
In an interview in September, Markle described the battle between Trump and Biden as "the most important election of our lifetime." She reminded people, "When we vote, our values are put into action and our voices are heard," adding, "Your voice is a reminder that you matter. Because you do. And you deserve to be heard."
Harry, meanwhile, addressed the danger of misinformation on social media. "As we approach this November, it's vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity," he said in the same interview.
