Meghan Markle angers US Republicans over paid parental leave letter: 'Stick to acting'

Meghan Markle penned a passionate letter urging US politicians to act on the issue of paid parental leave. Photo / AP

The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle has sparked anger among US politicians who believe she should stick to acting.

She penned a lengthy letter to Senate Majority leader Charles Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over paid parental leave, and included anecdotes from her childhood about growing up "on the $4.99 salad bar at Sizzler".

But her critics, particularly the GOP, have accused her of having political ambitions and being "out of touch". And royal commentators have pointed out she went on to have a privileged upbringing.

"I know how politically charged things can – and have – become. But this isn't about right or left, it's about right or wrong," she wrote in the letter.

"This is about putting families above politics. And for a refreshing change, it's something we all seem to agree on. At a point when everything feels so divisive, let this be a shared goal that unites us.

"So, on behalf of my family, Archie and Lili and Harry, I thank you for considering this letter, and on behalf of all families, I ask you to ensure this consequential moment is not lost."

"No family should have to choose between earning a living and having the freedom to take care of their child (or a loved one, or themselves, as we would see with a comprehensive paid leave plan)," she says.

Republican Representative Lisa McLain spoke out to in the piece for Dailymail.com and said Meghan was interfering with politics.

"Meghan Markle is incredibly out of touch with the American people and should stick to acting instead of trying to play politics," she told the news outlet.

"The last thing we need right now is wealthy celebrities pushing their liberal agendas on the American people."

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex has written a letter to @SpeakerPelosi and @SenSchumer about the urgent need for #PaidLeaveForAll in the US. It’s time, she says, to ensure that millions of American families who need and deserve guaranteed paid leave are given just that👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/fAdNj8ZhRp

— Omid Scobie (@scobie) October 20, 2021

Jason Smith, another Republican Representative, spoke out with his own beliefs and made it clear he wants her royal title to be stripped.

"While her attempts at appealing to working-class families by recalling her days of eating at Sizzler were laughable, her comments make crystal clear that the passage of this massive tax-and-spend bill is aimed more at helping global elites get huge tax breaks than helping the working families she claims to have dined with," he told the Daily Mail.

A royal expert Angela Levin, a journalist and biographer of Prince Harry, claims the 1030-word letter is evidence Meghan has strong political ambitions.

"Meghan's two-page letter to lobby Congress about giving money on parental leave is obviously another step towards trying to turn herself into a politician.

"But the notepaper she is using is astonishingly 'From the Office of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex' and shows how she isn't even aware that she is talking to politicians in a republic that won its independence from the crown in 1776."

Levin certainly didn't hold back with her harsh critique of Meghan.

"The truth is that the bill about parental leave is on its way to being confirmed, and could be hijacked by Meghan's belief it was largely due to her.

"In addition if she was writing a professional letter what on Earth is she getting all cosy and intimate by stating the letter is also 'on behalf of Archie and Lili - notice she is not calling her Lillibet, the Queen's nickname - and Harry. Poor old Harry has come last."