Trump says Harry and Meghan treated royals with ‘great disrespect’: ‘I wouldn’t have taken them back’
US President Donald Trump has criticised Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, saying he was "happy" to see them relocating from the United States back to Britain because he felt they had disrespected the royal family. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said he was "not a fan" of the couple and contrasted this with his praise for the late Queen and King Charles III, both of whom he described having good relationships with. His remarks matter because they add a prominent political voice to ongoing scrutiny of the Sussexes' fraught relationship with the monarchy.
Trump said Meghan Markle had been "terribly disrespectful" to the Queen and King Charles, and stated that had he been part of the royal family, he "wouldn't have taken them back". His comments follow news that Harry and Meghan are moving their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, back to the UK for an "extended stay", with the family having arrived at Birmingham International Airport the previous week. They plan to live in a private residence outside London while keeping their California home, and remain non-working royals with no indication of a formal return to duties. Trump has previously called Meghan "nasty" in 2019, while Harry has also made past jabs at the president.
In short
- Trump says he's "happy" Harry and Meghan are leaving the US
- He accuses Meghan of being disrespectful to the Queen and King Charles
- Couple is moving children back to UK schools this September
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
From this perspective, respect for the monarchy and its members matters, and public criticism by senior royals can be seen as damaging to an institution whose stability depends partly on discretion and family loyalty. Trump’s supporters might argue that his remarks express a legitimate judgement about how Harry and Meghan treated the late Queen and King Charles, while welcoming their move to Britain without implying they should resume royal duties.
The case against
A contrary view is that Harry and Meghan have a right to speak publicly about their experiences, particularly where they believe silence would leave their account unheard, and that disagreement with royal expectations does not by itself amount to disrespect. Their UK stay is described as private and extended rather than a return to royal work, so Trump’s criticism may be seen as an outsider’s personal judgement that risks adding political pressure to a family dispute.
Explained simply
Prince Harry is King Charles III’s younger son and was once a working member of the British royal family. He and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to the United States, where they have since lived with their children.
The couple’s relationship with the royal family has been strained, and they remain outside official royal duties. Their reported plans for an extended stay in Britain have renewed attention on how they fit into royal life, while keeping their home in California.
Donald Trump is the US president and has previously exchanged public criticism with Meghan and Harry. His comments draw attention to the couple’s relationship with the monarchy, an institution whose members’ public roles and family ties are closely watched in Britain and abroad.