Meghan Markle's Spokesperson on Her Black Lives Matter Speech

meghan markle black lives matter george floyd breonna taylor philando castile tamir rice stephon clark

(Image credit: Chris Jackson)

published 5 June 2020

In a video released Thursday, Meghan Markle gave a vital speech (opens in new tab) about the murders of George Floyd (opens in new tab), Breonna Taylor (opens in new tab), Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Stephon Clark, and other Black people by police.
A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex said she felt "compelled" to speak up about George Floyd's murder "as well as what’s been happening over many, many years and many, many generations to countless other Black Americans."
"This is something incredibly personal to Meghan, especially given everything she has experienced," the spokesperson said.

Meghan Markle's spokesperson discussed the moving speech she delivered to the graduating class of her former high school, in which she condemned the murders of George Floyd (opens in new tab), Breonna Taylor (opens in new tab), Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Stephon Clark, and other Black people by police and urged the new graduates of Immaculate Heart High School to take action against anti-Black racism.

"I wasn’t sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing, and I was realIy nervous that I wouldn’t or that it would get picked apart," Meghan said, as reported (opens in new tab) by Essence. "And I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing, because George Floyd’s life mattered, and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered (opens in new tab), and Philando Castile’s life mattered, and Tamir Rice’s life mattered, and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know. Stephon Clarke, his life mattered."

"George Floyd's life mattered and Breonna Taylor's life mattered and Philando Castile's life mattered and Tamir Rice's life mattered."Duchess Meghan has shared a powerful video with @IHPandas Immaculate Heart High School’s class of 2020 for their graduation.#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/BzUmfnKICbJune 4, 2020

Speaking to royal correspondent Omid Scobie, a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex said (opens in new tab) that she "felt compelled to directly address what’s happening in this country right now around the killing of George Floyd as well as what’s been happening over many, many years and many, many generations to countless other Black Americans."

"This is something incredibly personal to Meghan, especially given everything she has experienced," the spokesperson continued (opens in new tab), before indicating that Prince Harry shares his wife's stance. "And as a couple it is, of course, very important. They are both feeling it, just like the rest of us."

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Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.