King Charles Moves Ahead With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Despite Donald Trump’s Blunt Warning
King Charles has continued navigating Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to UK despite Donald Trump’s blunt declaration that, if he were in the Royal Family’s position, he “would not have taken them back” following their years in California.
The US President made his feelings clear after Harry and Meghan’s surprise relocation to the UK with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, welcoming their departure from America while strongly criticising their previous treatment of the royals.
Asked about the Sussexes leaving California, Trump told reporters from the Oval Office: “I’m happy about it. I was not a fan,” before expanding on his criticism of the couple.
Trump particularly targeted Meghan, accusing the Duchess of behaving disrespectfully towards the late Queen Elizabeth II and Charles during the tensions that followed the Sussexes’ departure from senior royal duties.
“I thought they treated the royal family with great disrespect,” Trump said. “I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the way she acted.”
The President continued: “I thought she was terribly disrespectful to the Queen, to King Charles,” leaving little uncertainty about his personal view of the Sussexes’ relationship with the monarchy.
However, Trump’s strongest remark concerned their British homecoming, as he suggested that he would have taken a considerably firmer approach had the decision been his to make.
“I wouldn’t have taken them back,” he said. “If I were the royal family… I would not have taken them back.”
There is no indication that Trump’s remarks represented an official warning delivered privately to Charles or Buckingham Palace, and the King is under no obligation to follow the US President’s personal view about his son and daughter-in-law.
The Sussexes’ return nevertheless comes during a complicated period for Charles, with the Palace now facing another sensitive disagreement involving Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer.
Spencer’s forthcoming memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, has revived painful stories about Diana and contains disputed recollections concerning Charles’ actions and words following her death.
Buckingham Palace has already taken the unusual step of responding to some of those claims, while Spencer has continued defending his version of events and indicating that there are other things about the King he chose not to include.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan’s presence in Britain has not changed their official royal status. There has been no announcement suggesting they are returning to duties as working members of the monarchy.
Instead, the couple are focused on establishing their family life in Britain, including finding a longer-term home and settling Archie and Lilibet into their new surroundings. Trump may have made clear what he would have done, but Charles appears to be handling his relationship with Harry separately from the President’s outspoken advice.
