Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg referenced the drama with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Thursday, telling voters in Iowa that he was proud to be a part of the American system.
“I don’t know if you’ve been following the news about the royal family,” Buttigieg said. “I was thinking how through most of human history the process of deciding who was going to govern a country or a people involved family, involved inheritance, involved a lot of murder and mayhem.”
“Here in the United States, in modern times, it involves something different. It involves the process of deciding where our country will be headed and where our government will be headed involves coming to communities, looking people in the eye, and asking them to caucus for you, and explaining why,” he continued.
“I think, in our troubled and turbulent times, it’s good to remember that that is a much better way of deciding on the future of our country, rather than what most of human history has been about, and I’m proud of to be a part of this process with you.”
Buttigieg’s comments come roughly a week after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to back away from their roles as senior members of the British royal family, sending shockwaves around the world.
The couple said they plan to split their time between the United Kingdom and North America, but said they continue “to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.”
Queen Elizabeth II said in a rare statement that she supported their decision.
“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 monarch said.