As Donald Trump secured his second term as US president, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have had cause for concern about their new life in Montecito.
Trump took to the stage in Florida in the early hours of Wednesday morning to address the nation, celebrating his “unprecedented and powerful mandate” after sweeping through key swing states, including North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
His victory coincides with a precarious visa battle for the Sussexes, which may be complicated by their strained relationship with the president.
The Republican has previously weighed in on Prince Harry’s US visa application, which has come under scrutiny after Harry admitted in his memoir Spare to using cocaine, smoking marijuana, and experimenting with magic mushrooms as a teenager.
Speaking at a political conference in February, Trump claimed the Biden administration had been “too gracious” to Harry since his 2020 move to California with Meghan
Mr Trump told the Express: “I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That’s unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.”
Shortly after Harry admitted to the drug use, a conservative think tank in Washington DC called The Heritage Foundation questioned why he was allowed into the country in 2020.
Harry has expressed his wish to become a US citizen but this year, a judge ruled that his visa application should remain private as “the public does not have a strong interest in disclosure of the duke’s immigration records.”
“I do think there’s a strong possibility that this could happen. It’s the president’s prerogative,” Nile Gardiner, Director Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom said.
“Also the new Homeland Security Secretary could order a review of Harry’s immigration application.
“There are multiple things that could happen but it would be in the best interests of the American people if the Trump administration releases Prince Harry’s records for public scrutiny and Harry should be held to account.”
The question of his right to stay in the States was spoken about by Trump’s son just one week before the election.
Eric Trump also lashed out at the duke and duchess, claiming the only reason Prince Harry’s US Visa is safe is because “no one cares” about him.
He told the Daily Mail how much his father “loved” the late Queen Elizabeth II and how much damage Harry caused to the royal family after he and Meghan decided to leave their positions.
“Truthfully I don’t give a damn about Prince Harry and I don’t think this country does either,” he said, suggesting Harry had “gone off the deep end and it’s sad to watch.”
Despite the arguments regarding Harry’s visa, he said he did not think it should be revoked.
“I don’t give a damn if he did drugs. It means nothing,” he said.
Trump and the Sussexes have been embroiled in a long-running feud following the couple’s vocal criticism of the president.
Meghan first made her views on Trump known shortly before he became US president in 2016. Speaking on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, Meghan called Trump “divisive” and “misogynistic”.
Trump didn’t respond to Meghan’s comments until three years later when, ahead of his UK state visit, Trump said: “I didn’t know she was nasty”. In an interview with Piers Morgan, Trump backtracked on his comment about Meghan, saying he thought she was “very nice”.
In 2020, Trump said the Sussexes “must pay” for their security costs, after it was revealed the Sussexes had relocated from Canada to Los Angeles and in the same year, he said he was “not a fan” of Meghan after she encouraged Americans to vote for Biden.
Trump said: “I’m not a fan of hers. I wish a lot of luck to Harry, he’s going to need it.”
In 2021 and 2022, Trump continued his attacks on the couple, telling Nigel Farage that he thought Harry had been “used horribly” and that his marriage “ruined his relationship with his family”.
Later, speaking to Piers Morgan in 2022, Trump said “Harry is whipped like no person I think I’ve ever seen” and that Meghan will likely leave him “when she decides that she likes some other guy better.”
