TIME magazine unveils finalists for its 2018 Person of the Year

[Glasgow]

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has been short-listed for TIME magazine’s 2018 Person of the Year, alongside US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The publication unveiled the 10 finalists on NBC’s Today Show on Monday (local time). The title is not necessarily an honour, but representative of the impact the person — or movement — has had on the news within the past year, whether good or bad.

Adolf Hitler was named TIME’s Man of the Year in 1938 (before it was changed to Person of the Year in 1999) and Joseph Stalin graced the cover in 1939.

However, the “Silence Breakers” of the #MeToo movement, ebola fighters and Mahatma Gandhi have also been crowned the Person of the Year.

In it’s unveiling of the shortlist, TIME editors wrote about Meghan: “Former Hollywood actor and activist Meghan Markle traded in her roles on screen for a royal title in May, when she married Britain’s Prince Harry to the delight of captivated crowds across the UK and millions more worldwide.”

It’s hard to deny the Duchess of Sussex’s influence on the global conversation this year, with the former Suits actress dominating headlines since the news of her engagement to Prince Harry broke in November 2017.

The world then watched on, swooning, as the couple wed in May this year, gripping the world with royal fever.

As a divorced American mixed-race actor in her mid-30s, Meghan was seen by many to be a breath of fresh air and a welcome addition to the somewhat stuffy house of Windsor.

Then there was her highly-anticipated Pacific tour with Prince Harry and the announcement of her pregnancy.

The shine has now started to come off the woman the world was once besotted with, but the Duchess of Sussex is still dominating headlines — amid rumours of a feud between her and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and her outrageous demands of staff.

The latest hit to her reputation has come after The Times confirmed that the couple’s renowned personal secretary, Australian Samantha Cohen, 50, will leave her role after the birth of their child in spring.

Ms Cohen’s resignation follows another sudden resignation just weeks ago, further fuelling the rumours that the Duchess is difficult to work for.

The other nine candidates for TIME’s 2018 Person of the Year include:

US President Donald Trump (who was previously chosen as Person of the Year in 2016)
Separated Families at the US border
Russian President Vladimir Putin (who was previously chosen as Person of the Year in 2007)
Special Counsel Robert Mueller
Black Panther director Ryan Coogler
Brett Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford
Slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi
March For Our Lives anti-gun activists
South Korean President Moon Jai-in