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Prince Harry reportedly pitched Meghan Markle for voice-overs to Disney CEO in resurfaced video

Duchess reportedly signed deal with Disney prior to couple's announcement they would be stepping back from royal duties 

Chelsea Ritschel
Monday 13 January 2020 19:26 GMT
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Harry appears to tout Meghan's voiceover skills in archive clip

A newly emerged video appears to show the moment Prince Harry pitched Meghan Markle’s ability to do voice-overs to Disney’s CEO — a job the Duchess of Sussex has reportedly accepted.

Over the weekend, The Times reported Meghan has signed a deal with Disney to do a voice-over in return for a donation to Elephants Without Borders, an organisation that protects the animals from poachers.

Shortly after the duchess’s new role was reported, TMZ released a video taken in July when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the London premiere of The Lion King, in which Prince Harry appears to pitch the idea to Disney CEO Bob Iger.

In the video, Prince Harry told Mr Iger: “You know she does voice-overs,” while pointing towards his wife.

“Oh, really?” Mr Iger responded. “I did not know that.”

Prince Harry speaks to Bob Iger during The Lion King premiere (Getty)

“You seem surprised,” Prince Harry replied to the CEO, before adding: “But yeah, she’s really interested.”

The conversation ended with Mr Iger telling him: “Sure, we’d love to try.”

According to The Times, the deal between Meghan and Disney was signed before the royal couple announced last week that they planned to step back as senior members of the royal family and become financially independent.

While the announcement initially caused chaos among the other members of the royal family, who reportedly did not know about the couple’s decision ahead of the news breaking, the Queen has since announced her support of the duke and duchess’s plans.

Following a summit regarding the couple’s future roles, Buckingham Palace today released a statement from the monarch, in which she said: “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family.

“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”

The Queen also acknowledged the couple’s desire to become financially independent, adding that “it has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.”

The Independent has contacted Disney for comment.

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