The Duke of Sussex shocked many fans by wading into the world of politics – a tricky topic for members of the Royal Family to navigate due to their neutrality. But since Harry, 36, is no longer a working member of the Firm and is settling into his new life stateside, Victoria Arbiter said his political speeches may be a warm-up for one day voting in US elections.
The royal expert pointed to Harry and Meghan’s recent video urging US citizens to exercise their right to vote in the November 3 presidential election.
If the short clip shot for TIME magazine’s TIME100 special, the Sussexes encouraged reluctant voters to have their say in the face-off between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.
Writing in honey.nine.com.au, Ms Arbiter said: “I don’t doubt Harry’s desire to be among those heading to the polls.
“As a newly minted California resident he’s personally invested in the election’s outcome in a way he never will have been before.
“Despite being a foreign national, his first presidential race since moving to the US may well feel like the most important election of his lifetime.
“Presently forbidden from exercising his right to vote, it remains to be seen if he’s prepared to renounce allegiance to the Queen in order to one day have a say in the country he now resides.”
Ms Aribter, whose father Dickie Arbiter is the Queen’s former press secretary, dissected Harry’s wording in the video.
She pointed out that while discussing the fact that he cannot vote in the US because he is not a citizen, he used the term “this election”.
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If Harry does want to vote in the US he would need to be a citizen of the county.
This would require him renouncing allegiance to the grandmother, the 94-year-old Queen, and vowing allegiance to his adopted home.
Taking the naturalisation oath of allegiance to the US states, men and women are required to “declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen”.
They must also pledge to “bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law” and “support and defend the Constitution”.
Millions of Americans are gearing up to watch Mr Trump and Mr Biden battle it out for votes in the final week of campaigning.
Vice-President Mike Pence’s close aides tested positive for COVID, sparking fears he would have to isolate for the remainder of the campaign.
His spokesman said late on Saturday that Mr Pence and his wife had tested negative.
The White House said Mr Pence would continue as normal on the campaign trail.
Asked why Mr Pence was not following US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to quarantine for 14 days after such exposure, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows cited the vice president’s status as “essential personnel.”
