Meghan Markle Reportedly Sought Kamala Harris’ Former Senate Seat as Harry and Meghan Pursued Greater Political Influence in the U.S.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving their family back to the United Kingdom after a stint living in California.SplashNews.com

WASHINGTON — Meghan Markle reportedly sought a path into American politics just months before Kamala Harris left her California Senate seat to become vice president, according to a new report from the New York Post.

A source cited by the outlet claims that, in the weeks before Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, Meghan requested a meeting with California Gov. Gavin Newsom because she wanted to be considered for appointment to Harris’ Senate seat.

The allegation has been denied by a source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Newsom’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

The report comes as Harry and Meghan prepare to move back to the United Kingdom after spending six years in California. The couple are expected to remain private citizens and non-working royals following their return.

Meghan and the California Senate seat

Harris vacated her California Senate position before being sworn in as Biden’s vice president on January 20, 2021.

According to the source quoted by the New York Post, Meghan wanted to discuss the possibility of succeeding Harris with Newsom. The source claimed that the meeting was publicly presented as a general introduction to California rather than a discussion about the Senate vacancy, potentially limiting questions about the purpose of the encounter.

It remains unclear whether Meghan’s alleged request went any further.

Newsom ultimately selected California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill Harris’ Senate seat. Padilla later won a full six-year term in 2022.

There is, however, documentation confirming that Harry and Meghan did meet with Newsom during this period.

A memorandum from the governor’s office that surfaced in February 2021 recorded an “introductory meeting” between Newsom and the Sussexes on October 19, 2020. The specific subjects discussed were not made public, while Newsom’s team characterized the gathering as a social occasion.

The memorandum does not establish that Meghan discussed the Senate seat with Newsom.

The allegation remains disputed

Prince Harry with Joe and Jill Biden at the Invictus Games 2017 in Toronto on Sept. 30, 2017.Chris Jackson

The distinction is important: the claim that Meghan wanted Harris’ former Senate position comes from a source cited by the New York Post, rather than from a publicly released document confirming that she sought the appointment.

A Sussex source firmly denied that Meghan wanted to take over Harris’ seat.

It is also unclear whether the reported meeting with Newsom was followed by a separate conversation after the 2020 election.

Still, the allegation forms part of a broader picture presented by the New York Post of Harry and Meghan exploring opportunities to build influence in American political circles after stepping away from royal duties.

A politically complicated proposition

Markle wanted a meeting with Gov. Gavin Newsom to inquire about Kamala Harris’ old Senate seat, a source says.ZUMAPRESS.com

Had Meghan actually been appointed to the Senate, her position as a member of the British royal family could have raised complicated constitutional questions.

Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution restricts federal officeholders from accepting gifts, emoluments, offices or titles from a king, prince or foreign state without congressional consent.

The report also points to the broader tension between American republican traditions and the idea of a British royal holding elected federal office.

Alexander Hamilton addressed the issue of aristocratic titles in The Federalist Papers, arguing that restrictions on titles of nobility were fundamental to the character of republican government.

For Meghan, however, the question would have extended beyond constitutional technicalities. A Senate appointment would have represented an extraordinary transition from life within the British monarchy to a formal role at the heart of American government.

Harry and Meghan’s wider political ambitions

The Senate allegation was reportedly not an isolated attempt by the couple to establish connections in Washington.

According to the New York Post, Harry and Meghan later sought a meeting with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office and requested accommodation at Blair House, the official guest residence commonly used for visiting foreign leaders.

The report says White House staff rejected the proposal, with concerns that such a meeting could create diplomatic complications involving the British government and royal family. The Sussexes have denied that they requested either an Oval Office meeting or a stay at Blair House.

Harry and Meghan had already cultivated connections with American political figures. Harry was photographed with Joe and Jill Biden at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, while Jill Biden had appeared at the games on multiple occasions.

The couple also reportedly employed several consultants with links to Barack Obama’s White House as they attempted to build relationships in Washington.

Their political involvement became increasingly visible

After moving to the United States in 2020, Harry and Meghan also began speaking more openly about issues involving American public life.

In September 2020, the couple appeared in a Time magazine video encouraging Americans to vote and calling on voters to reject hate speech. The appearance drew criticism from some commentators because members of the British royal family traditionally avoid partisan political involvement.

Meghan subsequently became involved in legislative advocacy as well.

In November 2021, she contacted several U.S. senators while lobbying for federally mandated paid family leave.

The couple’s activities therefore extended from political advocacy to attempts to build relationships with senior American officials, although the reported Senate bid and Oval Office request remain disputed.

A striking chapter in the Sussexes’ American story

The latest claims have emerged at a particularly significant moment for Harry and Meghan.

After leaving their senior royal roles in 2020 and establishing a life in California, the couple built a new public identity through media projects, advocacy and commercial ventures. Their relationship with the British royal family, meanwhile, became increasingly strained.

Now, six years after their departure, they are preparing to relocate to Britain with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. They are expected to live in a private, non-royal residence and will not return as working members of the royal family.

Against that backdrop, the reported Senate approach offers another glimpse into the ambitions Harry and Meghan were said to have explored during their early years in America — even though there is no public evidence that Meghan was ever formally considered for Harris’ seat.

Ultimately, Alex Padilla received the appointment, while Meghan’s alleged political ambitions remained just that: an allegation that the Sussex camp has denied.