President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was glad that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had left the United States and returned to the United Kingdom, telling reporters they had disrespected the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The president shared his thoughts publicly for the first time during an Oval Office briefing, saying he was “very happy about it” when asked how he felt about the couple’s departure.
“I was not a fan,” Trump said. “Look, I had a very good relationship with the Queen, really good, I got to know her very well. A really good relationship with King Charles…I’ve known him for a long time, he’s a great guy. I thought they treated the Royal family with great disrespect.”
Trump added that if he were the royal family, he would not have taken Harry and Meghan back.
Newsweek reached out to Buckingham Palace and the Sussexes’ Archewell Philanthropy for comment via email outside of U.K. working hours.
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on September 2, 2026.
What We Know About Harry and Meghan’s Return
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are keeping their California home, but have returned to the U.K. on an extended stay.
Earlier in August, it was announced that Harry and Meghan had decided to relocate to Britain with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after six years in the U.S. Multiple outlets reported the family had enrolled their children in a British school beginning this autumn and planned to live at a private residence outside London rather than in royal accommodation.
So far, the move does not appear to involve a return to official royal duties, with Harry and Meghan remaining private individuals and non-working royals, and no “half-in, half-out” arrangement that Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, rejected when they left royal life in 2020.
Trump’s Long-Running Criticism of Harry and Meghan
Trump’s comments Wednesday matched a position he has held for years.
His relationship with Meghan has been strained since before she married into the royal family. In 2016, the Los Angeles-born duchess described Trump as “divisive” and “misogynistic.” When asked about those remarks during a 2019 interview, Trump responded: “I didn’t know that she was nasty.”
Trump repeatedly criticized Harry and Meghan’s treatment of the royal family following their Oprah Winfrey interview, Netflix projects and Harry’s memoir Spare.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle greet members of the public at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia on April 17, 2026.
Trump’s Relationship With the Royals
The other half of Trump’s answer today reflects something he has emphasized frequently: his affection for the British monarchy.
Trump has repeatedly said he had a strong relationship with Queen Elizabeth II during his first presidency and has disputed reports suggesting she disliked him. He has claimed they got along well during his 2019 state visit.
He has likewise spoken positively about King Charles. Following Charles’ cancer diagnosis in 2024, Trump called him a “wonderful man.” He has since described the king as a friend and praised him publicly during meetings and state events.
Trump’s fascination with the royal family is often linked to his Scottish-born mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, whom he has said was an enthusiastic follower of the monarchy and Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Sam Wilson.
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