Meghan Markle Praised On Twitter For Advocating For Paid Parental Leave: 'This Is Why I Love Her'

Meghan Markle received massive support on social media as she advocated for paid parental leave for parents across the nation.

The Duchess of Sussex, who shares son Archie, 2, and daughter Lilibet, 4 months, with husband Prince Harry, wrote about why nationally mandated paid leave is essential for all American parents in an open letter to Congress published Wednesday.

"No family should have to choose between earning a living and having the freedom to take care of their child (or a loved one, or themselves, as we would see with a comprehensive paid leave plan)," she wrote in her letter shared via the Paid Leave for All website, adding that "paid leave should be a national right, rather than a patchwork option limited to those whose employers have policies in place, or those who live in one of the few states where a leave program exists."

The release of the letter pushed Markle to the top of the trending list on Twitter, where many users backed the duchess in her advocacy and praised her for her moving open letter.

"Wow, this is why I love her. Always using her voice not for herself but for the less fortunate," one fan tweeted, alongside a link to a petition on the website of Paid Leave for All, the national campaign of organizations fighting for paid family and medical leave in the U.S.

"#MarshallPlanForMoms is proud to partner with Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex on her letter in support of paid family leave in the U.S. On behalf of moms, thank you to The Duchess for lending her voice to the fight for #PaidLeaveForAll," wrote Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code.

"My heart. Princess Meghan has done it again. Standing up for causes that benefit everyone. So proud and let's get this ball rolling," another wrote.

"No wonder Prince Harry fell in love with her! She truly does have a heart like Princess Diana's," another Twitter user commented.

Markle's letter also sparked discussions on the platform. One Twitter user wondered why the former "Suits" star addressed her letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi who already support paid parental leave.

Another mocked Markle for speaking out on the issue when she allegedly works just a few months out of a year. "Let me see if I understand: The powerful letter is written by a woman who just worked 72 days in 2 years with appearances that did not last half an hour and [then traveled] the world to rest from the arduous 72 days [of work]," the critic wrote.

But the duchess' fans were quick to defend her, with one user noting Markle emphasized in her letter that she and Prince Harry had the privilege of choosing whether to stay home with a new baby but many Americans can only choose between taking care of their child or going back to work.

"[Meghan] recognized her privilege in that same letter. Your hate is stronger," the netizen wrote, defending Markle.

Markle and Prince Harry took time away from their nonprofit Archewell to be at home with their children after they welcomed their daughter on June 4. Employees at Archewell are offered up to 20 weeks of parental leave.

Markle also took four-month maternity leave when she and Prince Harry welcomed Archie in 2019. However, Prince Harry was back to his royal duties just three days after Archie's birth, flying to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games at the time.

Members of the royal family are typically allowed six months of maternity leave and two weeks of paternity leave, which are the standard for British citizens.