Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Donald Trump says Prince Harry would be ‘on his own’ if he becomes US president again

Former US president accuses the Duke of Sussex of ‘betraying the Queen’

Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Sunday 25 February 2024 17:48 GMT
Comments
Trump reacts after winning South Carolina primary

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Donald Trump has said Prince Harry will be “on his own” if he wins a second term this year after claiming the Duke of Sussex “betrayed the Queen”.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday, the former president said the Biden administration had been "too gracious" to Harry since he moved to California with Meghan in 2020.

It comes days after Harry told Good Morning America that he has "considered" becoming an American citizen, adding he had "no idea" what was stopping him.

Mr Trump told the Daily 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.”

A new book released this year claims the late Queen Elizabeth was infuriated by Harry and Meghan’s claim that she had approved them naming their daughter Lilibet.

Donald Trump said he ‘would not protect’ Prince Harry if he became president again
Donald Trump said he ‘would not protect’ Prince Harry if he became president again (AP)

In 2021, the Sussexes announced their daughter’s birth and said in a statement that she was named after the Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet.

However, a new autobiography by royal journalist Robert Hardman says the late Queen was “as angry as I’d ever seen her” after the couple stated she had been “supportive” of the name.

Shortly after Lilibet’s name was announced, the BBC reported a palace source saying that the Queen “was not asked by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about naming their daughter Lilibet”.

The Sussexes moved to the US in 2020
The Sussexes moved to the US in 2020 (AP)

Mr Trump’s comments come as fresh controversy surrounds Harry’s immigration status, after a US conservative think tank argued that the prince cannot have legally entered the US because he had confessed to taking illegal drugs in his memoir.

In Spare, Harry admitted taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in his youth.

The duke said cocaine “didn’t do anything for me”, adding: “Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me.”

The Heritage Foundation’s lawsuit argues that US law “generally renders such a person inadmissible for entry” to the country.

The duke’s memoir contained several allegations about his family, including a claim that his brother William physically attacked him.

The book also revealed personal details about Harry’s own life, including the story of how he lost his virginity. He also spoke about how many people he killed while on military tour in Afghanistan, and said he wanted further investigation into his mother’s death.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in