Meghan Markle and Prince Harry: LGBT issues are 'basic human rights'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are putting LGBT rights at the forefront of their royal agenda.

Speaking at the Commonwealth Youth Forum in London Wednesday, the couple – due to marry next month – chatted to young people at an event in which speakers from around the world gathered to discuss various LGBT issues

Same-sex activity is criminalized in 36 of the 53 Commonwealth member states.

Addressing youth activists, Markle said it was clear that these issues were “basic human rights," adding that it was important to challenge inequality based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Jacob Thomas, who won a Queen’s Young Leaders award for work in reducing the suicide rate in the Australian LBGT community, said, "Miss Markle said, and these were her exact words, that this is a basic human rights issue, not one about sexuality."

He added, “Prince Harry said that what was so amazing was that five or ten years ago we wouldn’t have been having this conversation and how incredible it was that we now were. He said he would put the issue at the forefront of his work.”

Kenyan LGBT activist Jonah Chinga also spoke to the royal couple, saying, “Both Prince Harry and Miss Markle said they would put LGBT issues at the front of their work.”

The American actress will marry the prince, who is fifth in line to the British throne, in a ceremony on Saturday May 19 at St George's Chapel in Windsor, England. The chapel, the location of Harry's christening, will seat around eight hundred guests though a further two hundred have been invited to the evening reception at St George's Hall in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Little is known about the actual guest list but there won't be any politicians in attendance, meaning no invites for President Trump, British prime minister Theresa May or Barack and Michelle Obama.