Meghan Markle was back on TV Wednesday evening! The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise virtual appearance during the finale of America’s Got Talent. The Suits alum gave a sweet shoutout to contestant Archie Williams, who shares the same name as her and Prince Harry ’s one-year-old son. “I just wanted to let you know that we‘ve been so moved by your story and we have been cheering you on every week and it’s not just because we’re partial to the name,” she said.
Meghan continued, “So, a very special message to you that I’ll probably be saying all of my life, but on this night it is specifically for you: Archie, we are proud of you and we are rooting for you, and we can’t wait to see what you do. We’re in your corner. Have a good night.”
The AGT contestant was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. After 37 years, Archie was freed thanks to new DNA technology that matched fingerprints found at the crime scene to a serial rapist. “I knew I was innocent, I didn’t commit a crime. But being a poor Black kid, I didn’t have the economic ability to fight the state of Louisiana,” Archie said during his AGT audition earlier this year. “Days turned into weeks, into months, into years and into decades. It’s like a nightmare.”
Meghan’s video message for Archie, which gave an inside look at her and Harry’s new Santa Barbara home, came one day after she and the Duke appeared on ABC’s TIME100 special. During the primetime broadcast, the royal couple encouraged Americans to vote in the upcoming election. “Every four years we are told the same thing, that this is the most important election of our lifetime,” Meghan said. “But this one is. When we vote, our values are put into action and our voices are heard. Your voice is a reminder that you matter, because you do and you deserve to be heard.”
Harry added, “This election, I’m not going to be able to vote here in the U.S. But many of you may not know that I haven’t been able to vote in the U.K. my entire life. As we approach this November, it’s vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation, and online negativity.”
