Sen. Gillibrand wants to invite Meghan Markle to dinner with women senators to discuss paid family leave

• Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told The 19th that she plans on inviting the Duchess of Sussex to dinner.
• The bipartisan dinner would give Markle the opportunity to discuss paid family leave with other women senators.
• Markle called senators to encourage them to pass paid family leave in the social spending bill.

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand revealed that she plans on inviting the Duchess of Sussex to dinner to discuss paid leave.

During an interview with The 19th, the former presidential candidate opened up about her relationship with Meghan Markle, 40, and their shared effort regarding the social spending bill.

Gillibrand, 54, told The 19th that she was one of the senators Markle called to help ensure paid leave was included in the bill.

"I could hear how sincere she was about advocacy," Gillibrand said, adding that she offered to give Markle the phone numbers of her Republican colleagues.

GOP Sens. Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia and Susan Collins of Maine both reportedly received direct calls from Markle, according to The 19th.

Gillibrand told the outlet that she wants Markle to visit Washington D.C. for the bipartisan dinner she's hosting in the coming month with all the women senators.

She told The 19th that GOP Sen. Deb Fisher of Nebraska was "delighted and looking forward to that conversation."

Representatives for Sen. Gillibrand and the Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Sen. Capito recalled when Markle called her as she was driving this month, Politico reported.

"I'm in my car. I'm driving. It says caller ID blocked. Honestly … I thought it was Sen. Manchin. His calls come in blocked. And she goes 'Sen. Capito?' I said, 'Yes.' She said, 'This is Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex," Capito told Politico.

In October, Markle penned a letter to Democratic leaders in Congress and encouraged them to support paid leave and medical leave.

"I'm not an elected official, and I'm not a politician," Markle wrote. "I am, like many, an engaged citizen and a parent. And because you and your congressional colleagues have a role in shaping family outcomes for generations to come, that's why I'm writing to you at this deeply important time - as a mom - to advocate for paid leave."