Meghan denies she wanted to be US Senator amid claim she met with top Democrat to lobby for her appointment

The Duchess of Sussex has denied wanting to become a US Senator, after The New York Post reported she had allegedly sought a meeting with California Governor Gavin Newsom to lobby for appointment to the Senate seat vacated by Kamala Harris in 2020. The claims surface as Meghan and Prince Harry are reportedly preparing to return to Britain for an extended stay, with the couple said to be reassessing their six years in the US after their commercial ventures there failed to match early expectations.

Newsom's office confirmed he held an "introductory meeting" with the couple on 19 October 2020, though what was discussed remains unclear; a source close to Meghan told the Post she did not want Harris's seat, which ultimately went to Alex Padilla. The wider report also claims the couple sought an Oval Office meeting with Joe Biden in 2021, which was declined amid concerns about upsetting the UK prime minister and royal family, and that they were rebuffed when asking to fly home on Air Force One after the Queen's funeral. A Biden-linked source suggested the pair had "worn out their welcome," noting neither attended the Invictus Games after 2021, while separate reports say Harry, buoyed by a recent reunion with King Charles, wants to spend more time in the UK, with Archie and Lilibet potentially enrolling in English schools.