The implication was made by Nick Timothy, who served as Theresa May’s joint chief-of-staff from her accession to the premiership in 2016 until shortly after the 2017 general election. Mr Timothy, who also worked for Mrs May as Home Secretary, published ‘Remaking One Nation: The Future of Conservatism’ earlier this year.
On Thursday Meghan made politically sensitive remarks whilst appearing via video at a virtual event held by When All Women Vote, which encouraged American women to vote.
After calling for “change” she told potential voters “if you aren’t going out there and voting, then you’re complicit”.
She also took aim at what she termed “attempts of voter suppression” ahead of November’s presidential election.
Responding on Twitter Mr Timothy said: “If you believe Meghan Markle ever had any intention of exercising the restraint required as a member of the Royal Family, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.”
Nick Timothy suggested Meghan never “had any intention of exercising the restraint required” (Image: GETTY)
Meghan and Harry announced they were standing down as senior royals in January (Image: GETTY)
By convention members of the royal family are expected to remain politically neutral.
In January Harry and Meghan announced they planned to step down as senior royals and the couple are currently living in Los Angeles.
During her talk Meghan commented: “We’re only 75 days away from election day and that is so very close, and yet there’s so much work to be done in that amount of time, because we all know what’s at stake this year.
“And we look at the attempts of voter suppression and what that’s doing, all the more reason we need each of you to be out there supporting each other to understand that this fight is worth fighting and we all have to be out there mobilising to have our voices heard,” she told the event.
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Harry and Meghan are currently living in Los Angeles (Image: GETTY)
“If you aren’t going out there and voting, then you’re complicit.”
Meghan has spoken out on politics before branding Donald Trump a “misogynist” and “divisive” ahead of the 2016 US presidential election.
When informed about these comments during a 2019 state visit to the UK Mr Trump branded them “nasty”.
Unlike other senior royals Meghan didn’t meet the president on this trip as she was on maternity leave.
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Harry and Meghan pictured with their son Archie (Image: GETTY)
Cutouts of Meghan and Harry at a Nottingham Forest football match (Image: GETTY)
Her son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, was born in May 2019.
Meghan’s recent comments are the most overt political intervention she has made since marrying into the royal family.
In response Good Morning Britain co-host Piers Morgan called on the Queen to remove her royal title.
He tweeted: “The Queen must strip the Sussexes of their titles.
“They can’t remain as royals & spout off about foreign elections in such a brazenly partisan way.”
Whilst Harry and Meghan have agreed not to use their HRH titles they remain members of the royal family.
However other social media users jumped to the Duchesses’ defence.
Leeds University student Harriett Fuller tweeted: “You have to wonder if Meghan Markle would be being slated for expressing her opinions if she was a male.
Meghan warned of “voter suppression” during the upcoming presidential election (Image: GETTY)
“She’s American and is stripped of Royal titles with every right to express her concern over the most US election in history.
“And people wonder why she left the UK?”
Meghan and Harry moved to Los Angeles, the Duchesses’ home town, shortly before COVID-19 lockdown was imposed earlier this year.
