Meghan Markle has scored her first non-royal role following her and Prince Harry’s announcement to step back from royal life, as the narrator of a Disney live-action documentary Elephant, news that follows a viral video clip of Prince Harry asking Disney’s then-CEO Bob Iger about a voiceover role for Markle in 2019.
- Disney announced the film on Twitter, adding that it will be available for streaming on Disney+ beginning April 3.
- Sky News reported that Buckingham Palace confirmed the development: “Disney have this morning (in LA) released info regarding the voiceover project The Duchess of Sussex participated in for the Disneynature film, Elephants, which will debuts [sic] on Disney+, April 3rd,” a statement from the Palace said.
- A video surfaced in January on social media, from July 2019, shot during the live-action Lion King premiere; in it, the Sussexes greet Jay-Z and Beyoncé (who voiced Nala in the film).
- Prince Harry can be overheard in the video asking Iger, “You know she does voice-overs?”, and Iger can be heard saying, “Sure, we’d love to try.”
- The video’s appearance on social media came shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan’s January announcement that they would step back as senior members of the British royal family, and seemed to be proof that the pair had been working for quite a while on building new income streams for themselves.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their final royal appearance—attending a Commonwealth Day service at London’s Westminster Abbey—after their sudden announcement to step back from royal life shocked the world. Their last official day as royals will be March 31, after which the couple will drop the use of their His Royal Highness/Her Royal Highness titles. Queen Elizabeth II, Harry’s grandmother, has expressed support for the couple’s decision. Meanwhile, questions have been raised as to how Harry and Meghan will earn a living, as they will no longer receive taxpayer funds as part of their pledge to live independently. Although Harry and Meghan will remain the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Queen will not allow them to use “Sussex Royal,” the phrase the couple attempted to trademark, as part of their post-royal careers.
Forbes
