Meghan Markle could pursue a political role in the US, says royal filmmaker: 'Anything is possible'
Nick Bullen, co-creator and editor-in-chief of True Royalty TV, discusses his new documentary 'Meghan For President?' and whether Meghan Markle, the Hollywood actress-turned-Duchess of Sussex, could find herself pursuing a political role in the US.
Meghan Markle made history in May 2018 when she became the first biracial American to join the British royal family after marrying Prince Harry — but does the future hold a political role for the former Hollywood star in the states? One royal filmmaker believes anything can happen.
“I think anything is possible at the moment,” Nick Bullen told Fox News. “Meghan is rewriting the royal rule book and her desire to bring about change… She’s determined to make a difference. I could see her going down that route because she’s not going to stop with just being the Duchess of Sussex. There’s much more to Meghan and I think we’re only just beginning to see the early days of what Meghan Markle will really do now that she has this global platform.”
Bullen is an executive producer, who has been making programs about the British royal family for nearly 20 years, and has worked closely with Harry’s father, Prince Charles, for eight. He recently released a new documentary titled “Meghan for President?” which explores the former American actress’ determination to speak out on gender and racial equality, as well as helping those in need.
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The special features interviews with friends, colleagues, former teachers and royal experts. The documentary also highlights rare footage of Markle at age 10 attending her first anti-war protest.
Vanity Fair reported Kensington Palace sources have squashed any speculation that the former “Suits” star, who has retained her US citizenship, would ever run for the presidency. Traditionally, members of the British royal families are expected to be apolitical in public, which means they cannot vote or openly express political views. In addition, such a major move would require Harry, 35, to give up his royal title.
Bullen says the world shouldn’t be surprised if Markle would consider taking on a humanitarian ambassador’s role in the states or even setting her eyes on politics. Based on rare footage of Markle’s upbringing, along with statements from those who knew her, Markle has always yearned to make a change long before she became a Hollywood actress.
“The most surprising thing in the documentary was how early in her life Meghan started to make a difference and how important change was to her,” Bullen explained. “And one of the things we found was back at the age of about 10 when she was in her school in Hollywood, she organized a protest against the Gulf War because a little boy in her class, his older brother, was going to fight. And this little boy was really upset and worried. Meghan wanted to make him feel better. So she organized this campaign against the war. We found this footage that hasn’t been seen for years.”
Whether or not Markle would ever run for office, she does want to make a difference and believes she can as the Duchess of Sussex.
“We saw her in South Africa recently when she stood up in the township and said, ‘I’m here as a member of the royal family and also as a woman of color,'" said Bullen. “No member of the royal family had ever been able to say that, obviously, but had ever been in a position to actually launch themselves onto the global platform with that statement. I think Meghan’s voice is only going to grow.”
But Markle’s life is far from a fairytale. In October of this year, she filed a claim against the Mail on Sunday — and it’s parent company Associated Newspapers — alleging “the intrusive and unlawful publication of a private letter written by” Markle. Although the claim did not name the specific letter, The Guardian reported that Mail on Sunday did previously published a letter penned by the royal to her estranged father Thomas Markle.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit District 6 Museum on Sep. 23, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. The pair are reportedly considering a move to Africa after a bitter battle with public life in the U.K. (Getty)
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Markle also spoke out about coping with the intense scrutiny of British tabloids in the ITV documentary “Harry & Meghan: An African Journey,” which followed her royal tour in southern African alongside Harry and their son Archie.
“I think the British press have given Meghan a reasonably hard time because they’re just not used to a royal operating in this way,” said Bullen. “As we’ve said, she’s rewriting the royal rule book and some people didn’t like that. Some people have a view of what they want their princesses and duchesses to be, which is almost really a supporting star to the leading role, to their husbands who are the blood royals. They are just the duchesses or princesses next to them [who] need to be behind, two paces behind. Like the Duke of Edinburgh has been with the Queen and in many ways like Kate [Middleton] has been with [Prince] William.”
“But Meghan is front and center,” he continued. “Meghan’s not going to be silenced. And I think that slightly panics people and people don’t always react to panic terribly well. So it’s probably her need to do it differently, [which is] what’s causing some of the British press to take a stand against her.”
Meghan Markle was accused of being a social climber before meeting Prince Harry. The Duchess of Sussex allegedly ghosted several of those close to her when she began dating her now-husband. (Getty)
But Bullen pointed out that many have also come to Markle’s defense — including Hillary Clinton.
The former secretary of state told London’s Sunday Times she was “a huge Meghan Markle” fan and said “I do want to say that the way she’s been treated is inexplicable. I think if the explanation is that she’s biracial, then shame on everybody."
Her daughter Chelsea Clinton added: “Anyone who has the temerity to break the mold of what was previously been established and expected often, unfortunately, receives critics and bile that I don’t understand. We’ve seen this pattern repeatedly.”
Bullen predicted Markle may soon call America home again — at least for a portion of the year. It is then where Markle can escape some of the ruthless British tabloids and flourish as a royal, new mom and humanitarian.
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Britain's Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle hold their baby son Archie as they meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town on Sep. 25, 2019. The British royal couple is on a 10-day tour of southern Africa -- their first official visit as a family since their son Archie was born in May. (Getty)
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“I hear from people who know them well that they are house-hunting in California and they’re coming over for Thanksgiving,” said Bullen. “I think they’re here for nearly six weeks. And Meghan’s really keen that Archie grows up understanding his American roots. Her American heritage is incredibly important to her, so I can see a world in which they probably have three bases — the base in the UK for their royal duties, a base in the states for their global work, and then also possibly somewhere in Africa because Africa is incredibly important to both of them. So I could see them having three homes.
“… I think probably the future for Meghan and Harry is a global platform with three bases around the world working to give a voice to people who are often unheard of. That’s what they both want to do. And I think they’re on that trajectory and it’s only going to grow.”
"Meghan for President?" is available for streaming on TrueRoyalty.TV.
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