Watch 11-year-old Meghan Markle protesting a sexist ad on TV

Old footage has emerged.
 By 
Rachel Thompson
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Footage has emerged of Meghan Markle campaigning against sexist adverts when she was just 11 years old.

Inside Edition obtained footage of Markle talking about a sexist ad for Ivory washing up liquid on Nick News back in 1993. In the show, Markle and her classmates were asked to watch adverts and assess their messages.

Prior to the interview, Markle had written to the show's host Linda Ellerbee to alert her attention about the advert, which said: "Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans."

"I don't think it's right for kids to grow up thinking these things that just mom does everything," 11-year-old Markle told Nick News. "It's always 'mom does this,' and 'mom does that.'"

Meghan wrote to Procter and Gamble, the company behind the ad, and called on them to change the ad. She also wrote to the First Lady at the time, Hillary Clinton,

"So, I was wondering if you would be able to change your commercial to: 'People all over America,'" wrote Markle in her letter to the company. Markle's letter-writing efforts paid off: Procter and Gamble took Markle's suggestion and changed the commercial accordingly.

Later in life, Markle—who's now a UN Women ambassador—reflected on the advert during a speech at UN Women. "Two boys from my class said: 'yeah, that's where women belong, in the kitchen,'" she recalled. Markle said she felt "shocked and angry" and "so hurt."

Linda Ellerbee talked to Inside Edition and reflected on the events which took place over two decades ago.

"It was absolutely clear that this young woman was strong in her beliefs," said Ellerbee. "It didn't matter if she was 11 years old, she believed in women, she believed in her own power, and she wasn't afraid to reach out and say: 'I want my power.'"

Nicely done, Markle!

Rachel Thompson, sits wearing a dress with yellow florals and black background.
Rachel Thompson
Features Editor

Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.

A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.

Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.

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