In a recent turn of events, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's attempt to gain political influence in the U.S. has been met with a setback. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly requested to ride with President Biden on Air Force One following Queen Elizabeth's funeral, only to be denied by the White House.

According to insiders from the U.S. government and sources close to the Royal Family, the Sussexes have made several attempts to position themselves in front of top U.S. political officials. However, their request to ride back to the States on the president's private plane was turned down by the Biden administration. The decision was reportedly made to avoid causing too much "commotion" and potentially straining relations with the Palace and the new King.

The Daily Mail reported that the Sussexes' request was seen as a potential strain on diplomatic relations and could have turned into a photo opportunity. The Sussexes' plan to hitch a ride on Air Force One was not their only attempt to get closer to the Bidens.

Months before their Air Force One request, Prince Harry extended a personal invitation to First Lady Jill Biden to attend his Invictus Games at The Hague in April 2022. The Invictus Games, founded by Harry, honor wounded veterans. The Bidens have shown support for the event in the past, with the president and first lady attending the 2017 games in Canada, and Joe Biden attending the 2016 event in Florida.

However, Jill Biden declined the 2022 invitation, reportedly out of concern that her presence might offend Harry's Royal extended family, as it was the first event since his exit as a full-time working Royal. Instead, Secretary of Transportation and veteran Pete Buttigieg attended as a delegate along with his husband.

The Sussexes' alleged attempt to gain influence via relationship building with the Bidens aligns with Meghan's own lobbying efforts in Washington D.C. In 2021, Meghan contacted lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advocate for paid family leave, even writing to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Despite the setback, it remains to be seen how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue their efforts to establish themselves on the U.S. political stage.