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I starred with Meghan Markle on Suits – she’s on way to White House & should be a senator…royal feud won’t stand in way
Actress Erika Alexander has offered to run Meghan's first campaign
MEGHAN Markle should become a politician because she is a "diplomat" and an "ambassador", says one of her former Suits co-stars.
Erika Alexander, 54, who starred alongside the Duchess of Sussex in the legal series, believes Meghan, 42, has the courage to take on big causes, after speaking out against the Royal Family in recent years.
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She said Meghan has the voice, drive and experience to become a senator - because she has been "an activist" throughout her life.
It comes as Meghan launched her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, by sending baskets of jam and lemons to influencers.
Asked if Meghan could be a political future leader of this country, Erika told The Sun: “I think so. I think she was doing that before she got engaged.
“She was doing great work as an activist, and I think she'd be a great senator.
“She'd certainly be a great Congress person, And I think it's a great way to represent not only America and the world, when I say her person, but also Britain.
The actress then declared: “Run run, I'll come and run that campaign and we'll get this done. You hear me? We're going to have a great time and we'll wear a nice little tiara the whole time."
It comes as Meghan and Harry returned to LA after completing a tour of Nigeria.
The Sussexes visited a warzone, played volleyball and even stood up for God Save The King.
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But the tour of the African nation was described as "presidential" by many.
Meghan and Harry were accompanied at all times by a White House-esque security detail, and AK-47-wielding members of local militia.
The couple also had their own smaller security team and a a number of female aides in shift dresses.
Journalist Ian Gallagher, writing in a Daily Mail column, said: "Whatever the true complexion of this fascinating tour – private, non-royal, quasi-royal, presidential – one thing was certain.
"It was controlled skilfully and with an iron hand."
Meghan Markle: From Royalty to Politics?
According to Mr Gallagher, Meghan appeared as a "sure-footed global stateswoman in her own right", noting that it was suggested by one insider two years ago that "it wouldn't be a huge shock if Meghan went into politics."
While the idea that the Duchess would like to run as president one day is speculation, the journalist suggested it would not be "such a wild leap".
In an exclusive interview, Erika, who has who starred in The Cosby Show and Oscar-winning film Get Out, praised the Duchess and her husband Prince Harry for challenging the Royal Family during their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
And she believes it won't stand in the way of her becoming senator.
Meghan claimed that she was “fed to the wolves”, bullied and silenced before she and Harry made the decision to leave the Royal Family and move out of England.
An expert's view of the tour
Newsweek’s Chief Royal Correspondent Jack Royston claims Harry and Meghan treated the trip like a royal tour despite it technically being a “private” visit.
Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Mr Royston said: “It's not a private trip.
“I mean, it's so funny because even that announcement of itself was made at a press conference with ‘welcome Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ in the background and big board.
“It's a little bit all over the place in terms of how they presented it.
“But essentially no it's not a private trip, it’s very close to an old school royal tour, except for the fact that obviously they haven't, in general, invited the media as a whole.”
This is Harry and Meghan's first trip to Nigeria as a couple, although they did a royal tour of southern Africa in 2019 when they were working royals.
They stepped down from royal duties and relocated across the pond in 2020 - with their departure dubbed 'Megxit'.
Erika likened the scrutiny and attention of Meghan's life to that of “people like Michael Jackson”.
“She's also a diplomat and an ambassador, and so I think she should think of herself that way," Erika said.
"I did a lot of activism in my life and that's why I said sometimes things you would do for yourself, you wouldn't do on the other side of that.
“So I think she's handling herself very well, and I think it's also important that she remain herself and really start to continue to stand for herself as an individual so she doesn't get overwhelmed because that's heavy.
"I went and checked out Buckingham Palace, that stone thing has been there a long time. It ain't going nowhere.
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“She won't bring it down, but it does need shaking up every now and then to ask itself what it is.
"And I think since Britain is such a huge part of the world, it has to understand that with that ebb and flow, there's going to be new challenges and she's a challenge and I think she's up for it.”
ROYAL RACE ROW
Erika also reflected on Meghan and Harry revealing that a member of the Royal Family member asked about Archie's skin colour before he was born, during their Winfrey interview.
“There's no one person in this world that doesn't come with bias," Erika said.
"I'm not surprised that that was brought up and maybe it wasn't brought up in I or meant to be something that was hurtful, but it was brought up and these questions are brought up to black people all the time.
“Certainly here in America we fight and have these conversations all the time, but they don't have to be with rancour.
“They don't have to be like that. But to bring it up means that there's something to be talked about and there's going to be now the black babies in that palace and maybe there always were there, but now they have the family name and we need to have those discussions for those babies grow up so they know how to go forward.”
Erika also spoke about how Meghan played a big part in the success of Suits becoming the highest viewed TV series in their history.
STAR POWER
She said: "Of course. Meghan Markle, of course brings star power to it.
“She's now a Duchess, a princess, and that's a great story. It's a great story from London and the Royal Family to America, who's fascinated with the Royal Family, always have been fascinated with royalty and kings and queens.
"Obviously, being a young black woman, I'm happy for her. She's an actress, so it just shows that before she was a princess, she was an actress.”
“She [Meghan] would certainly be a great Congress person, And I think it's a great way to represent not only America and the world... but also Britain.
Erika Alexander
Erika, who starred as Sarah Leighton in the 2012 series of Suits, would also like to see Meghan return as Rachel Zane in the new Suits LA spin off.
“She has to think about her wider family…I hope that she makes the right decision for herself and her family," she said.
Read More on The US Sun
"That's all that matters, and I wouldn't want to be in her place, but as an actress, of course, you should go back because you do really great and you look great, and it would be really rocking to see you out there. But she's a different person right now. “
Erika spoke on the red carpet at the Writers Guild Of America West Awards and praised the guild for fighting for their members and getting “what they deserved In terms of the profit share.”
Meghan and Harry's Nigeria trip highlights
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have landed back in California after their trip to Nigeria.
The couple jetted back to the United States after they watched a charity exhibition match at Lagos Polo Club.
Prior to that, Harry, 39, had enjoyed a game of basketball with a group of Nigerian youngsters.
He and wife Meghan spent three days in the West African country, meeting with locals and leaders.
The Sussexes kicked off their "faux-Royal tour" with a visit to Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital.
They then visited Nigeria's defence HQ on Friday to meet military wives and senior officials.
The following day Harry was snapped playing volleyball, before Meghan referred to Nigeria as "my country".
On Sunday Harry tried his hand at basketball, before they finished up their trip at a charity polo match.
While there they unveiled a partnership between their Archewell Foundation and the non-profit Giants of Africa, which aims to empower young people through sport.