After turning their backs on their lives as senior Royals in the UK, relocating to LA, and signing a multi-million dollar deal with Netflix, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have become used to ruffling feathers.
But nobody – not least the Queen – could have predicted their decision to break Royal protocol by entering the political arena last week.
In a video for Time 100, the couple urged US citizens to vote in the upcoming November presidential race, with Meghan, 39, calling it the “most important election of our lifetime”. Harry – who, as a Royal, is supposed to be politically neutral – told voters to “reject hate speech”, in what was interpreted as support for President Trump’s rival, Joe Biden.
In retaliation, Trump criticised Meghan by stating he “isn’t a fan” of the actress, before going on to wish Harry “a lot of luck – because he’s going to need it”.
It led to Buckingham Palace issuing a statement distancing itself from Harry’s opinion, saying it was made in “a personal capacity”, while the public called for the pair to lose their Royal titles – which they’ve kept, despite leaving the UK in March.
Royal expert Katie Nicholls agrees, telling Closer, “It’s certainly made courtiers nervous, as it’s at odds with [Meghan and Harry’s] roles as Royals. If they’re going down the route of backing a political party, they should renounce their titles. As Royals, there is an expectation they will behave within and respect the confines of the institution.”
Katie also believes it signals a “complete change of guard” for the Sussexes in terms of what we can expect in the coming months – as well as further proof of the divide between Harry, 36, and his brother, Prince William, 38.
She says, “The Queen will not have been asked and I would be surprised if there was even a call to the palace informing them. As far as Meghan and Harry are concerned, they are under no obligation to ask the Royal family for permission, despite keeping their titles. It’s a reminder that Harry and William are worlds apart and have different agendas”.
Just days after their bombshell video, Meghan ticked off another first for the couple as she made a cameo on the season finale of America’s Got Talent.
Check out: Britain's Got Talent - 15 things you didn't know about the talent show
Britain's Got Talent: 15 things you didn't know about the talent show
1 of 151. The show was conceived by Simon Cowell on the back of a packet of cigarettes
Piers Morgan has said that when he met up with Simon for lunch one day back in 2005, he had drawn out his plans for the talent show on the back of his cigarette packet. He was desperate to create a talent show that was open to all sorts of acts. Now in its tenth series, it's still one of the best competitions on the TV!
2 of 152. It was meant to be called ‘Paul O’Grady’s Got Talent’
Originally, the show would be hosted by loveable TV personality, Paul O'Grady. However, when Paul pulled out of the show it went over to America instead, but due to its huge success it was brought back to the UK and renamed Britain's Got Talent.
3 of 153. Fern Britton and Cheryl Cole were both meant to be judges
The original line-up included these two favourites, but for different reasons neither ended up in the final panel.
4 of 154. The judges attended auditions in different cities
Anyone who was part of the audition process this year got to strut their stuff and show off their skills in front of the judges in London, Liverpool and Birmingham.
5 of 155. Audience members get to see a comedian before the show!
In order to warm up the audience and get them excited for the acts they're about to see, Britain's Got Talent have a comedian onstage to loosen them up. He's also there to make sure that everyone keeps tight lipped about what they see to ensure the utmost secrecy!
6 of 156. The audience is the fifth judge
Before the show, the audience members are encouraged to be very vocal about their opinions of the performers – if they love them, they must woot and clap, if they hate them, they're told to start chanting, "Off! Off! Off!" Charming!
7 of 157. Alesha and Amanda are provided with healthy snacks
The girls like to graze on things like apple slices during filming, so the crew ensure that there are always some diet-friendly snacks for the girls. David Walliams, however, is often seen asking the audience members for chocolate!
8 of 158. It takes A LOT of work to keep the judges looking their best - and the contestants get glammed up too
Between acts, there is often a gap where the next act is preparing to enter the stage. During this time the judges are preened and re-preened to make sure that their hair and make-up is perfect throughout filming. The contestants are also made up behind the scenes.
9 of 159. Kelly Brook was a judge for two days
In 2009, Simon decided to get Kelly on board to make the panel a foursome. However, according to Piers Morgan, she wasn't the right fit for Britain's Got Talent and together, the four of them lacked chemistry.
10 of 1510. It isn’t as slick as it looks on the telly
Filming days can be long and arduous, with lots of breaks between acts meaning they usually run over schedule. Even if the act doesn't have any intricate staging requests, everything from the sound, to the lighting, to the judges shiny foreheads needs to be checked before filming recommences. Luckily, Ant and Dec are there to keep everyone smiling!
11 of 1511. People who apply for the show have to go through a really long audition process
Once you've sent off your application to attend the open auditions, you're expected to turn up on the day and perform in front of a producer. If they like you, you then have to perform to a more senior producer, and then once more in front of a panel while they film you. If you pass this stage, you're then invited to audition in front of a live audience with the celebrity judges.
12 of 1512. Bring snacks to the open auditions
If the team really like you, you'll have to complete all three audition stages on the same day meaning that you could be hanging around for up to 14 hours. That's why it's wise to bring some snacks just incase!
13 of 1513. The judges only actually watch a handful of auditions
A usual day of filming could include anything from 8-16 auditions, so the judges only see a tiny percentage the overall applicants for the show. So that means when they're moaning about long filming days and having to waste time watching silly acts, they're definitely exaggerating!
14 of 1514. The crowd you see as the judges enter the arena are actually audience members!
Although sometimes they will film the applicants waiting outside, most of the time the big crowds you see are the audience members who are filmed while they're waiting for the judges to arrive.
15 of 1515. Some contestants have gone on to be seriously famous
Paul Potts has earned £7million since he won the show in 2007, and Ashleigh and her talented pup Pudsey have also fallen into the six digit category. George Sampson has appeared on TV and in movies, Diversity had their own show, and Susan Boyle - who didn't even win – has sold 19 million albums worldwide and was nominated for two Grammy's!
She appeared via video to tell singer Archie Williams – who was wrongly imprisoned for 36 years until his release last year – that she and Harry had been “so moved” by his story.
In the wake of their £112m Netflix deal, Katie isn’t surprised by Meghan’s latest attempt at using her “celebrity” to boost her profile. She says, “It’s been a frustrating time for Meghan and Harry because of coronavirus – they’ve had to put the brakes on what they wanted to do.
WATCH: Marcel Somerville reveals E4's Celebrity Come Dine with Me's gruelling filming schedule
READ MORE
The REAL reason Coleen Rooney has forgiven Wayne's betrayal... AGAIN
“They didn’t get their red carpet moment in LA, so what better way of tapping into the idea of community and showing they’re behind young people than by going on one of the biggest shows in the States?
“It certainly feels more celebrity than Royal. They’re finding their feet and getting in their stride, so we can expect to see more of this as they make themselves a household name.”
Meanwhile, the pair faced criticism after it was revealed their African tour last year was the most expensive Royal jaunt, costing taxpayers £245k. Despite preaching against travel to try to save the planet, records show much of the sum was spent on flights and private jets.
Get the best celeb interviews in Closer magazine each week.