Beef royal with the US president Is Donald Trump driving Prince Harry and Meghan back to Europe?

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9.11.2024 - 19:25

Royal rethink: Trump return could drive Harry and Meghan out of the USA.
Royal rethink: Trump return could drive Harry and Meghan out of the USA.
Matt Dunham/Pool AP/dpa

Duchess Meghan and Donald Trump don't think much of each other. The media are now speculating that the ex-actress could leave her home country. Trump's main target is the man at her side.

No time? blue News summarizes for you

  • The possible re-election of Donald Trump is fueling speculation that Prince Harry and Meghan could leave the USA because of their dislike of Trump.
  • Trump's negative attitude towards Harry and the conservative criticism of Harry's residence permit, based on drug allegations from his biography, could lead to legal problems for the couple.
  • British media report that Harry and Meghan have purchased a property in Portugal as a possible alternative, which would bring them closer to the royal family.

Prince Harry should know what Donald Trump thinks of him. "He has betrayed the Queen. That's unforgivable," the old and soon-to-be new US president once said of Queen Elizabeth II's grandson. "If it were up to me, he'd be on his own."

There is every indication that the dislike is mutual. Together with his wife Duchess Meghan, who has criticized Trump as "misogynistic" in the past, Harry campaigned in the 2020 US election campaign for voters to "reject hate speech, misinformation and negativity on the internet". They didn't mention a name, but everyone agreed on who they meant: Trump.

Now this same Trump will soon be returning to the White House. Will the return of one lead to the flight of others?

British media are already speculating that the couple, who have lived in California for several years, could turn their backs on the USA because of the election result. "Trump's victory is what Meghan and Harry feared most - and could drive them out of America," wrote royals expert Tessa Dunlop in the Independent newspaper.

"Not a fan"

Trump once said that he was "not a fan" of former actress Meghan (43). However, he apparently has a personal grudge against Harry in particular. The reason: the 40-year-old has openly criticized the royal family on several occasions. And Trump is obviously very impressed by them.

During the election campaign, the Republican had himself filmed leafing through a photo book of his state visit to the UK in 2019. He showed his admiration for the Queen, who died in 2022 and who, according to one biographer, did not think much of Trump.

Trump praised Charles and his "wonderful" wife Queen Camilla. He would not protect Harry, on the other hand, Trump told the newspaper "Express US" months ago.

Did Harry lie to the immigration authorities?

Specifically, it is about the prince's residence permit and the question of whether the fifth in line to the British throne lied in his visa application. In his autobiography "Spare", Harry admitted to having consumed drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.

According to the conservative US think tank The Heritage Foundation, Harry should not have been allowed to enter the USA against this background. A court ordered that Harry's documents remain private. Now the think tank has filed a new lawsuit.

American nightmare for Harry?

As president, Trump could theoretically order the case to be reopened, US lawyer Christi Hufford Jackson, an expert in immigration law, told the British Telegraph. "The problem is that we are entering completely new territory here." If push came to shove, Harry's American dream would quickly turn into an American nightmare.

However, the royal son reportedly feels at home in California and his children are growing up in seclusion as desired. But Harry and Meghan have reportedly made provisions in case they actually have to leave their adopted home of Montecito. The couple have bought a luxury property on the Portuguese Atlantic coast, British media reported a few weeks ago.

This would give Meghan and Harry and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet a possible residence in Europe again. And they would also be closer to King Charles, who is being treated for cancer. Many Britons still hope that Harry and the royals will reconcile.

Princess Eugenie could serve as a link. Harry's cousin, the younger daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, divides her time between Portugal and London with husband Jack Brooksbank and sons August and Ernest.

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