President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is “happy” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have left the United States for the United Kingdom, describing the couple’s departure as welcome news after years of tension between the president and the Duchess of Sussex. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he was not a fan of the pair and criticized their treatment of the royal family.
“I’m happy about it,” Trump said when asked about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex relocating to Britain. “No, I was not a fan.”
Trump elaborated on his objections to the couple, saying he believed they had acted disrespectfully toward the monarchy. “I thought they treated the royal family with great disrespect,” he said. “I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the way they acted. I thought she was terribly disrespectful to the queen, to King Charles.”
Trump contrasted his criticism of the Sussexes with praise for the royal family itself, saying he had maintained good relationships with both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III. “I had a very good relationship with the queen. Really good. I got to know her very well,” he said, adding of the current monarch, “He’s great, great guy.”
The president suggested he would not have welcomed the couple back to royal duties if he had been in the royal family’s position. “I don’t know, maybe I’m different. I wouldn’t have taken them back. Frankly, if I were the royal family, I wouldn’t have taken them back,” Trump said.
Harry and Meghan announced in late August that they were relocating from California to the United Kingdom for an extended stay after six years in the United States. Their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are enrolled in British schools and began classes in September. The couple arrived at Birmingham International Airport on August 26 and plan to live at a private, non-royal residence outside London while maintaining their California home.
Trump’s latest criticism reflects a long-standing feud between the president and Meghan Markle that dates back years. In 2019, Trump called her “nasty” after learning she had previously described him as “divisive” and a “misogynist” in a 2016 interview. The tension has persisted into his second term, with Trump making repeated critical comments about the couple over the past year.
In February 2025, Trump dismissed the idea of deporting Harry, saying, “He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.” Last December, Prince Harry made a joke during a television appearance about Americans being “obsessed with royalty” and having “elected a king,” a comment widely interpreted as a jab at Trump. Trump has also accused Markle of “using” Prince Harry and suggested the Duke is “whipped” by his wife.
The Sussexes’ move marks a significant shift after their 2020 departure from royal duties, which sparked a major rift with the British royal family. Harry later detailed his grievances in his 2023 memoir “Spare,” further straining relationships within the monarchy. Despite their return to Britain, the couple will remain non-working royals and are not resuming any official duties on behalf of King Charles III.
Sources
- Fox News — Trump’s statements on Harry and Meghan’s departure, his criticism of their treatment of the royal family, and his relationship with the Queen and King Charles
- The Guardian — Harry and Meghan’s planned return to the UK in August 2026, details about their children’s enrollment in British schools
- NPR — Confirmation of the couple’s decision to return to the United Kingdom for an extended stay beginning in fall 2026
- BBC — Details of the couple’s arrival in the UK and their plan to live at a private residence outside London
- ABC7 News — Trump’s 2019 “nasty” comment about Meghan Markle in response to her previous criticism of him
