Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Encourage People to Vote in Rare TV Appearance

Layla Ilchi
·2 min read

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a rare TV appearance on Tuesday evening, encouraging Americans to vote in the 2020 election.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared in a prerecorded video during Time Magazine’s “Time 100” television special — which coincided with National Voter Registration Day — where they discussed the importance of voting in the upcoming presidential election and the harm that hate speech and misinformation can have on the public.

“Every four years we are told the same thing,” Markle said. “That this is the most important election of our lifetime. 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.”

Markle also spoke to the harms of hate speech and misinformation, and urged viewers to reevaluate the ways we engage with one another.

“Seeing our world through the lens of community is so important because we need to redraw lines of how we engage with each other both online and off,” she said. “What we’re exposed to online seeps into how we engage with each other offline. It can train us to be kind, or it can train us to be cruel.”

Prince Harry echoed Markle’s sentiments, stating: “When the bad outweighs the good, for many, whether we realize it or not, it erodes our ability to act with compassion and our ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes because if one person buys into negativity, the effects are felt exponentially. It’s time not only to reflect, but to act.”

The TV appearance comes after Markle sat down with feminist activist Gloria Steinem in August for Makers Women, where the women discussed representation and voting. The video is also the first joint appearance the couple has made since stepping down from their royal duties earlier this year and moving to the U.S., where they are now settled in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Watch the video here:

Read more here:

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Sign Multiyear Netflix Deal

Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Stepped Down From the Royal Family

Meghan Markle Puts Spotlight on Santa Barbara Lifestyle and Shopping

WATCH: How to Re-create Meghan Markle’s Go-to Messy Bun

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