Lobbying for paid leave is a humanitarian issue not a political one, the Duchess of Sussex has insisted, as she acknowledges the constraints on her “husband’s family” in sharing their opinions.

       The Duchess, interviewed for a New York Times event, said her recent phone calls to senators were not “a political issue, frankly”. Saying it was not a “red or blue” topic, referring to US political parties, she said believed “we can all agree that people need support” after the birth of a child.

       The Duchess appeared at the panel event to share her thoughts on how women can “reach economic and professional parity”.

       Speaking of growing up “clipping coupons” and still seeking out “promotional codes” before buying anything online, the Duchess said it was essential to equip girls with knowledge about finance, and tackle the “troubling” negative connotations about “ambitious” women.

       Duchess cold-called senators

       Asked about her recent foray into political lobbying, in which she cold-called senators and introduced herself as the Duchess of Sussex before sharing her opinion on paid leave reform, she said: “It’s so funny because they're not planned calls, right? I just get the phone number and call and have the conversation. People are pretty surprised, I think.

       “I think this is one of those issues that is not red or blue. We can all agree that people need support.

       “I don't see this as a political issue, frankly. Look there’s certainly a precedent in my husband’s family, the Royal family, of not having any involvement in politics but paid leave, from my standpoint, is just a humanitarian issue.”

       Her words echo those of Diana, Princess of Wales, who was criticised in the 1990s for her involvement in landmine campaigning and always insisted her work was not political but humanitarian.

       Answering questions about her own leadership style, following claims of bullying while at Kensington Palace, she insisted she treated employees how she would wish to be treated and said: “I would urge you not to read tabloids”.

       She added: “Hopefully one day they come with a warning label like cigarettes do, like ‘this is toxic for your mental health.’”

       On being described as “ambitious”, the Duchess said it was “really troubling” that it is seen as a negative trait in women, adding: “There’s nothing wrong with talking about a woman’s success or ambition or her financial prowess.

       “We all know that if you’re able to be financially independent it changes how you move in the world, it changes your entire way or being.”

       The Duchess also laid out her thoughts on social media and “clickbait” culture, arguing for the introduction of a “dislike” button to reduce negative comments online.

       “One of the things that seems like such an easy solve from my lens... If you look at Instagram for example, there’s a like button or there’s comment. So you have to, if you disagree with it, comment in a really vitriolic way.

       “As opposed to, if there was a dislike button, wouldn’t that hugely shift what you are putting out there? You could just like it or dislike it.

       “Whereas now, you have to like it or say something negative. It's adding to this really unfortunate cycle that I think is having a ripple effect on women across the board.”

       'I never buy online without finding a promo code'

       Describing how her own upbringing left the practice of “clipping coupons” ingrained in her, she was questioned over whether she really continued to do that to save money now.

       “Do they have coupons any more?” she laughed. “I will never buy anything online without finding an online promo code. It’s still in there, it's a modern version of the same thing.”

       Speaking of the sense of pride that comes with work, she said she had been a waitress, hostess and started earning money at the age of eight or nine by sewing hair scrunchies.

       “A couple of hundred dollars give you self-satisfaction,” she said. “That for women, especially for women who are at home raising kids... they’re working, it’s just unpaid labour and they need to be recognised for their unpaid labour.”

       Asked how she was, having moved to America, the Duchess said: “I am feeling much better about everything, thank you.”

       Prince Harry: I tried to stop US Capitol riots

       In a separate event, an online conversation with Wired about the "internet lie machine", the Duke of Sussex disclosed he had tried to stop the US Capitol riots by emailing the chief executive of Twitter.

       Saying he had been emailing Jack Dorsey about the issue of misinformation prior to the January 6 attack by supporters of Donald Trump, Prince Harry said he had told the social media mogul he was "allowing his platform to allow a coup to be staged, and then that coup happened and then I never heard from him again".

       He has not been in direct conversation with Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook founder, he said.

       Speaking about his concerns about the media, he also said "Megxit" – used to describe the decision of the Duke and his wife to stand down as working members of the Royal family – was a "misogynistic term" coined by online trolls and amplified by mainstream platforms.