The Shadiest Moments In Donald Trump's Feud With Prince Harry & Meghan Markle

While Donald Trump has a rocky relationship with the royal family, he has made it extremely clear that he doesn't like Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex in particular. In return, Harry and Meghan have professed similar sentiments, though in a more under-the-radar fashion. Indeed, the American-British feud is one that continues to simmer under the surface.

Funny enough, Trump and Meghan actually have more in common than one might think. Meghan was your average Hollywood actor before she married Harry; Trump was a seasoned businessman and reality television star before he became a United States president. Both of them are heavily critical of the press, something that Harry can relate to as well. As far as Trump and Harry go, both men have evolved tremendously over decades of living in the spotlight, and they both come from separate backgrounds of privilege. When it comes to Trump versus the Sussexes, the three of them share one glaring similarity: They aren't interested in three-way friendship. 

The start of this long-running feud was inadvertently started by Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, in 2016, several years before she married Prince Harry of Sussex and became a member of the British royal family. That year, the bitter feud between Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton was put on full display during the presidential election. Trump, who was viewed as the underdog at the time with no prior political experience, was consistently criticized for his controversial speeches. From the first day of the election campaign, every inch of Trump's historic rap sheet of misgivings were reported on incessantly. Nevertheless, Trump won the general election with 306 electoral votes. (That said, it's only fair to note that Clinton actually won the popular vote with 48.0%). 

Before Election Day on November 8, 2016, Markle appeared on "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore" and listed several reasons why prospective voters should've voted for Clinton over Trump. "Yes, of course Trump is divisive," Markle said at the time. "[As] misogynistic as Trump is, and he's so vocal about it, that's a huge chunk of it. You're not just voting for a woman if it's Hillary [Clinton] ... but certainly because Trump has made it easy to see that you don't really want that kind of world that he's painting." Clearly, Markle didn't vote for Trump in the 2016 election, though she never explicitly confirmed what she marked on her ballot.

Although Donald Trump is usually quick to publicly clap back at his opposition (or at pretty much everything he doesn't like), Meghan Markle's 2016 remarks flew under his radar for quite some time. It wasn't until June 1, 2019, that the Duchess of Sussex's comments came back around and blew up once more. That day, Trump discussed his upcoming trip to the United Kingdom in an interview. When asked about what Meghan's comments from 2016, Trump told The Sun, "I didn't know that. What can I say? I didn't know that she was nasty."

To give the man some credit, Trump did say that he wished Meghan success and hoped she was well in the same interview. The day after the article was published, however, Trump tweeted, "I never called Meghan Markle 'nasty.' Made up by the Fake News Media, and they got caught cold! Will @CNN, @nytimes, and others apologize? Doubt it!" However, The Sun covered their tracks and recorded their conversation; the audio recording is still attached to the top of the article to this day and confirms that the outlet wasn't lying about Trump's comments.

Donald Trump didn't just call Meghan Markle "nasty" and then clumsily try to deny it, but he did so literally days before a planned and extremely prestigious trip to Buckingham Palace. The Trumps met with the British royal family on June 3, 2019, just two days after Trump's interview with The Sun was published. In addition to the president and his wife Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner were also present. While Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, was in attendance, the Duchess of Sussex was not; at the time, Meghan was roughly a month postpartum with their first child, Prince Archie of Sussex.

Since no reporters and their cameras were allowed to document the private Buckingham Palace luncheon, there is the slightest of possibilities that Donald and Harry spoke during the president's U.K. trip. Based on the photos that were taken inside Buckingham Palace, however, it's pretty clear that Harry was doing everything in his power to avoid speaking with the U.S. president. One particular photo set, for example, shows Donald walking forward alongside the late Queen Elizabeth II, with Melania in tow, while Harry hangs around in the background with Ivanka.

In March 2020, the feud between Donald Trump and the Sussexes found its way back into the spotlight when two Russian hackers, Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexey Stolyarov, claimed that they pranked Prince Harry of Sussex twice. Kuznetsov and Stolyarov successfully convinced Harry that they were then-teenage activist Greta Thunberg and her father, Svante Thunberg. According to the hackers, Harry provided them with his personal phone number and email, and he reportedly spoke with them on New Years Eve in 2019 and then again on January 22, 2020. 

As if falling victim to a prank call isn't bad enough when you're famous, Harry allegedly made some controversial comments about Donald Trump — we say "allegedly" because while the recorded audio shared by ITV News sure sounds like Harry, Buckingham Palace's Royal Communications Team never explicitly confirmed it was him. "Unfortunately, the world is being led by some very sick people," Harry reportedly said. "The mere fact that Donald Trump is pushing the coal industry so big in America, he has blood on his hands." Talk about shots fired.

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the worldwide George Floyd protests, the 2020 presidential election couldn't have had higher stakes. In the end, Election Day featured Donald Trump and Joe Biden in a battle of the septuagenarians. A few months before, in August, Meghan Markle talked about the upcoming election with journalist and political activist Gloria Steinem. The Duchess of Sussex didn't outright confirm that she was voting for Biden, but when the conversation shifted to Kamala Harris as a contender for vice president, she said, "You know, for me, being biracial, growing up, whether it was a doll or a person in office, you need to see someone who looks like you in some capacity" (via Fashion Magazine).

Unlike her comments in 2016, Markle didn't say anything outright negative about Trump during this 2020 discussion. Nevertheless, Trump was not happy about the (for all intents and purposes) endorsement for Biden. "I'm not a fan of hers. I wish a lot of luck to Harry, he's going to need it," he said at a White House briefing (via The Guardian). Considering their already tense history, though, it's hard to believe that Trump really thought that Meghan was going to vote for him. 

Despite all the rumors and gossip about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's marriage over the years, there's no concrete evidence at the time of writing that suggests the couple are headed for divorce. From the start of their relationship to the current day, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been photographed looking madly in love with (tame and appropriate) PDA on full display. Harry has remained Meghan's biggest supporter and defender as well; in January 2026, Harry said under oath that tabloids like The Daily Mail made Meghan's life "an absolute misery." (via USA Today). 

As far as Donald Trump goes, the U.S. president has spoken about Harry and Meghan's marriage at length, usually in the context of Meghan being a questionable partner (more on that later). In April 2022, Trump delivered an exceptionally shady comment against the duo during an interview with journalist and broadcaster Piers Morgan. "Harry is a whipped man like no person I've ever seen," Trump said in an Instagram clip shared by Morgan. For the 100th time, Trump also made sure to mention, "I'm not a fan of Meghan. I'm not a fan." He continued, "I think poor Harry is being led around by his nose." This moment is one of many examples of Trump's bluntness put on full display. 

Donald Trump has developed a pretty friendly relationship with Nigel Farage, a British politician, since his 2016 presidential campaign. Farage has interviewed Trump several times, and in every interview, Trump doesn't hold back from making comments about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In 2021, Trump said, "I think Harry has been used [by Meghan] horribly and I think some day he will regret it" (via The Guardian). He also acknowledged the Duke of Sussex's strained relationships with the other British royals. Trump directed a more scathing approach toward the Duchess of Sussex: "I think she's very disrespectful to the royal family and most importantly to the Queen."

In 2023, Trump doubled down on his beliefs that Meghan's presence delivered a negative impact on Queen Elizabeth II — the Queen passed away on September 8, 2022 — though, he didn't actually provide any examples. Trump also expressed his surprise that Harry was invited to King Charles III's coronation (even though Harry isn't exactly a favored royal, he's still Charles' son). Trump's 2024 interview with Farage was the most encompassing of the bunch, with questions covering everything from NATO to Vladimir Putin's political aims. Trump also took the time to take aim at Harry's future in the United States in a rather passive aggressive way. Farage is one of many politicians who can't stand Harry and Meghan, so it goes without saying that he asked if Harry would be deported due to lying about his illegal drug use in the U.S., as reported in his memoir, "Spare." In response, Trump said, "Oh, I don't know. You'll have to tell me. You just have to tell me" (via Politico). 

In June 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the United States — or rather, Harry immigrated to the U.S., while Meghan simply returned home. The duo settled in California for several reasons: By that time, they had relinquished their royal duties and were craving more privacy, financial independence from the British crown, and a physical escape from the British tabloids. At the time of writing, Harry has not expressed interest in filing for a green card (which he is eligible for through his marriage to Meghan) or eventually acquiring U.S. citizenship. Harry's immigration records are heavily sealed and redacted to protect his privacy, but outlets like the New York Post suggested in September 2025 that he holds an A-1 visa. These visas are rare and are issued to ambassadors or officials from other countries. 

Donald Trump's immigration policies have dominated his two presidential terms, with the man frequently barring travel to and from certain countries, as well as threatening to deport people on social media. (Trump said he would take Rosie O'Donnell's American citizenship away in July 2025, for instance). There's one person who Trump has explicitly said he won't try and deport, however, and that's Harry. This sounds relatively nice on the president's part until you hear his reasoning. "I'll leave [Harry] alone. He's got enough problems with his wife. She's terrible," the president told the New York Post in February 2025, proving that Harry and Meghan still live rent-free in Trump's head.

Prince Harry has accomplished a lot throughout his life, including creating the Invictus Games, an international sporting event that debuted with its first game in 2014. The Invictus Games, which were inspired by the United States' Warrior Games, honors active-duty soldiers and veterans with illnesses, injuries, or other ailments. At the start and end of every Invictus Games event, Harry delivers a different passionate speech that, at their core, touch on the importance of the military, recovery efforts for veterans, brotherhood, and companionship. 

The 2025 Invictus Games took place between February 8 and February 16 in both Vancouver and Whistler, Canada, with Harry delivering a powerful opening speech highlighting the emotional pillars of strength, the impact of individual power, and the importance of continuous resilience. Harry's speech is one for the books because his energy and passion are palatable. If one squints really hard, however, there are a few moments that sound like very slight shade thrown toward a certain United States president. "In this moment of difficulty and division in many parts of the world, we gather here in Vancouver in a spirit of unity," he said during his eight-minute speech.

In September 2025, Donald Trump and the first lady embarked on a state visit to the United Kingdom, where they were welcomed by King Charles III and Queen Camila at Windsor Castle. A lot happened during the two-day trip: The Trumps met Prince William and Catherine of Wales, visited Queen Elizabeth II's grave, met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and exchanged some eye-wateringly expensive (yet priceless) gifts with the King and Queen. Charles played right into Trump's extravagant tastes by hosting a State Banquet. The event was attended by 160 people, but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were notably absent. 

During the event, Charles and Trump both delivered speeches highlighting the relationship between the United States and the U.K. To Trump's credit, he came off fairly professional and polished, something out of the ordinary in the U.S. That said, he did manage to sneak in a bit of shade toward Harry — by simply not mentioning him. "I just want to say that His Majesty has also raised a remarkable son, in his Royal Highness Prince of Wales. Really amazing," Trump said during his speech. "Melania and I are delighted to visit again with Prince William and to see her Royal Highness Princess Catherine, so radiant and so healthy, so beautiful. It's really a great honor." Trump did not extend the same pleasantries to the King's other son and daughter-in-law, considering that he omitted them entirely.

Prince Harry may be fifth in line to the British throne, but he's anything but an ordinary member of the royal family. When it comes to interviews, members of the royal family remain professional and formal; interviews with this clan are very rare and are almost always conducted through official channels like the BBC—"almost always" meaning for everyone except Harry and Meghan Markle. Since their marriage and move to the United States, Harry and Meghan have given a number of high-profile interviews, including a tense 2021 discussion with Oprah Winfrey and Harry's appearance on the CBS program "60 Minutes" in 2023. 

These moments are usually announced long in advance for press and engagement purposes, which is why Harry's surprise appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" was so memorable. In the December 2025 sketch, Harry unexpectedly popped up from the back of the stage to present his case for starring in a Hallmark movie. Harry explained that he knew Americans were "obsessed with royalty" and provided this reason when Colbert tried to say otherwise: "Really? I heard you elected a king." This moment serves as a good example of how to throw shade: quick and to the point without naming anyone directly. Despite all of Trump's attempts to resemble a king, such as his infamous White House X post from February 2025, the U.S. remains a constitutional republic. 

Donald Trump is not a fan of the United States' involvement in NATO — the North Atlantic Treaty Organization — to say the least. Formed after World War II, the military alliance generally states, in layman's terms, that if one member country gets attacked, then all the other member countries get involved. In typical Trump fashion, the president has threatened to withdraw the U.S. from NATO since 2016 because, from his point of view, the U.S. does more for other countries than other countries do for the U.S. In January 2026, Trump then sparked global outcry during an interview with Fox News. Aside from his comments about possibly invading Greenland, which is a whole other can of worms, Trump accused the other NATO Allies of not helping the U.S. during the 20-year conflict in Afghanistan.

Trump specifically called out Great Britain and how they "stayed .. a little off the front lines," something that rubbed Prince Harry the wrong way for obvious reasons (via the BBC). Harry is a British Army veteran who served two tours in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2015. "I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there," Harry said in a crystal-clear rebuttal to Trump in January of 2026, per the BBC. "Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defence of diplomacy and peace." Interestingly, Trump walked back (most of) what he said in record speed the next day. "The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America ... We love you all and always will!" Trump shared on Truth Social.