If Meghan Markle Tried To Run For President, Would This Rule Stop Her?

In light of her numerous public appearances and philanthropic efforts, there has been much speculation about whether Meghan Markle has her eye on public office. With her history of acting and red-carpet appearances, along with her past royal duties, she's clearly comfortable in the spotlight. But if she does go the political route, how far would she be able to go, legally speaking? If Markle decides to run for president, a rule in place may be enough to stop her from making it all the way to the White House.

Already, Markle has made political moves that could build the foundation of a political campaign. In October, she got involved in a $1.75 trillion infrastructure plan that pushes for paid leave for new parents. She wrote an open letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arguing that parental leave "isn't about right or left, it's about right or wrong." She called the issue a "national right."

Some reports suggest that Markle has her eye on a 2024 presidential run. Investigative journalist Tom Bower, who is in the process of writing a book on the ex-royal, told Closer magazine that it is "likely" she could give a presidential run a go. "The prospect of Meghan running for president is possible and I'd even say likely," Bower told Closer magazine in March (via The Sun). "I really believe it's where she sees herself going."

Should Meghan Markle decide to take her political aspirations to the ballot box, there is one thing standing in her way. An amendment to the Constitution known as the Titles of Nobil­ity Amend­ment, which was proposed and passed in Congress in the 1800s, states that anyone who "accepts, claims, receives or retains a title of nobil­ity bestowed by a for­eign power" can't hold federal office in the United States, via the Daily Mail. The amendment was subsequently presented to individual state legislatures to vote it into law. Fourteen state legislatures needed to support the amendment to do so, a number it failed to reach, and it was not passed. However, the Daily Mail also pointed out that the amendment technically hasn't been dismissed, either.

Along with the amendment potentially standing in her way, Markle could also face even lower public approval ratings from the British public, according to John Kowal, co-author of a his­tory of con­sti­tu­tional amend­ments in The People's Con­sti­tu­tion. "I think it would be very con­tro­ver­sial," he said to The Telegraph in November. "Britain has a very strong tradition of keeping royals out of politics and so this is perhaps more intrusive than anything a royal would dare to do in Britain."

Markle has yet to announce any plans to run for public office. But should she do so, it probably won't be an easy road.