Beware Meghan Markle’s kiss of death! Political insiders’ intriguing warning to Kamala Harris as she prepares for comeback

When former President Joe Biden selected Kamala Harris as his running mate in August 2020, congratulations winged their way from Montecito.

‘I’m so excited to see that kind of representation,’ the Duchess of Sussex said in an interview from her Southern California garden. ‘You know, for me, being biracial, growing up, whether it was a doll or a person in office, you need to see someone who looks like you in some capacity.’

Weeks earlier, Harris had reposted a video of Meghan Markle urging young people to get out and vote, thanking the Duchess for her ‘powerful statement.’

At the time, it seemed like the beginning of a long-term alliance between the two women, even sparking speculation that Meghan will eventually embark on a political career of her own (a suggestion she recently denied).

But fast forward five years and, as Harris reportedly considers running for Governor of California, there is silence from camp Sussex.

And it may be in the former vice president’s best interest, as it seems any public endorsement from Meghan may now be regarded as a political albatross.

‘It would reinforce the stereotype of Kamala Harris being an out-of-touch elitist who is more interested in royalty than the struggles of Californians,’ one Golden State political insider told the Daily Mail.

Another said: ‘In California, the wokest of states, there’s an exhaustion with celebrity, and an exhaustion with wokeness.’

Sources tell the Daily Mail that it may be in Harris’  best interest not to receive endorsement from the Sussex family, despite them being some of the most famous Californians.

Despite years-long speculation about her political aspirations, Meghan denied having interest in holding public office on a podcast recently.

Harris is reportedly mulling a gubernatorial run in 2026 to replace Gavin Newsom, who is coming to the end of his second term.

Despite her November presidential election humiliation, some aides of Harris are said to believe her universal name recognition could yet still clear the field if she enters the race. After all, a recent Emerson College poll measuring favorability gave her a 23 percent lead over her nearest rival.

Those loyal aides believe becoming governor of the most populous state, and the world’s fourth-largest economy, would provide Harris a base from which to attack President Donald Trump.

But, if she does intend to run for yet another public office – the former VP also served as senator of California, attorney general for the state and district attorney of San Francisco – experts have warned her not to make the same missteps as her failed bid for president.

Joining the race with just 107 days before the election, Harris garnered a parade of celebrity endorsements in 2024 from the likes of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen and Oprah Winfrey.

Yet, the pomp and circumstance of her short-lived campaign was seemingly for naught – she lost the election with 226 electoral college votes to Trump’s victorious 312.

And on Monday, those high-profile endorsements became the subject of controversy when Trump claimed they were violations of campaign-finance law.

It emerged last year that the Harris campaign paid $1 million to Winfrey’s company Harpo Productions for ‘event production,’ and another $165,000 went to Beyoncé’s production company after the star appeared on stage at a Harris rally in Houston, Texas.

While both Winfrey and Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles – who runs her daughter’s production company – said they did not take any personal fees, Trump has called for an investigation, alleging that Harris paid for endorsements ‘under the guise of paying for entertainment,’ he claimed on Truth Social.

A spokeswoman for Harris said at the time the money was for ‘ancillary costs’ relating to production.

She said: ‘We do not pay. We have never paid any artist and performer. We have never paid a fee to that person. There are laws that have to be followed that we have followed religiously on this campaign.’

During Harris’ presidential campaign, she received endorsements from Oprah Winfrey (pictured left), Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and other high profile celebrities.

Recently it emerged that the Harris campaign had given $165,000 to Beyoncé’s production company after the star appeared on stage at a rally in Houston, Texas.

The pomp and circumstance of Harris’ short-lived campaign was seemingly for naught – she lost the election with 226 electoral college votes to Trump’s victorious 312.

Critics say that an endorsement from Meghan – or any celebrity – could be a ‘net negative.’

All of which has shed light on the waning power of celebrity endorsement – once considered the silver bullet of any political campaign.

‘Harris’s presidential campaign proved that voters are more concerned about how a candidate will govern rather than who they pay to say nice things about them,’ Matt Shupe, spokesman for the California Republican Party, told the Daily Mail.

‘The vibe shift in California is real and Californians are ready for real change in the trajectory of our state.’

As for Meghan Markle’s place in all this, Tab Berg – a Republican political strategist based in California – is among those saying loudly that Harris would be wise to avoid wheeling out the Duchess, one of the state’s most famous residents, for any splashy future endorsement.

‘In general, celebrity endorsements are now a net negative,’ he said. ‘It’s not a working formula. There’s a tiny number of voters that look for what celebrities say.’

He added, ‘I don’t think any of the serious players [in California] would take [Meghan] seriously.’

In fact, backing from Meghan could hurt Harris, Berg claimed, while an endorsement from Prince Harry would have ‘zero’ impact on her chances of victory.

Meghan’s approval rating in the UK hit a record low of 20 percent according to a recent poll, while in the US, she sits higher at 41 percent approval.

‘If Kamala runs I’m 100 percent sure she would hop on a Meghan Markle endorsement,’ Berg alleged. ‘But my advice would be to downplay it, don’t do a public event, use it to raise money. Voters have no interest. It’s a net negative.’