They were the pictures that spouted a thousand memes across social media, but there is no doubt that Prince William’s meeting with Donald Trump in Paris earlier this month seriously ruffled a few feathers on both sides of the pond.
And now an insider reveals how the cosy snaps of the heir to the throne with Trump – who will once again be inaugurated as President on January 20th – have infuriated Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
The couple are both outspoken supporters of the US Democratic Party but, with Trump seemingly adopting a personal vendetta against the couple and speaking out against both Meghan, 43, and Harry, 40, on several occasions, the source says the Sussexes’ see Prince William’s meeting with him – part of his duty as the future king – as a very personal betrayal.
An insider says, ‘This cuts deep on so many levels and feels like an appalling betrayal for Harry and Meghan. Prince William appeared to get along with Trump very well.
‘Of course William was fulfilling a professional role but Trump has been so vicious towards them and of course William is aware of that, so Meghan and Harry can’t help but think he could have discussed it with them first. The fact Harry can’t even get William to pick up the phone is insulting enough, but now they feel very hurt and betrayed that their feelings appear not to have been taken into consideration.’
Ever since she and Harry stepped down as working royals in 2020 to become ‘financially independent’ and pursue their own personal dreams stateside, there have been whispers of former actress Meghan’s political aspirations. Meghan Markle previously said of the Democratic Party’s candidate, Kamala Harris, ‘I’m so excited to see that kind of representation’, while Kamala has also been an advocate of Meghan.
In 2019, she reposted an ITV interview in which the Duchess spoke out about adjusting to life as a pregnant woman and new mum in the public eye, adding, ‘Meghan, we are with you’.
However, Meghan has remained uncharacteristically quiet during this year’s political campaign following Trump’s very clear message that he would not be inclined to protect Meghan and Harry while they reside in the US.
In 2020, Trump, 78, wrote on social media, ‘I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom. It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the U.S. however, the U.S. will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!’
Earlier this year, reports also emerged that a US Heritage Foundation had raised concerns over Harry’s visa following the Prince’s candid confession in his memoir, Spare, that he has previously experimented with drugs recreationally.
When asked about the situation, Trump replied, ‘I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That’s unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.’
Now, following William’s meeting with Trump, the insider adds, ‘The whole situation has triggered a storm of emotions for Harry and Meghan. They’re hurt and angry and genuinely quite shocked because, for all their issues with William, they still believed his politics and beliefs were more in line with theirs.
‘Now, the whole thing has become terrifying. Trump has made it clear he’s out to punish them and Meghan and Harry fear that his admiration for William could make him more inclined to do so.
‘Meghan and Harry had to know William would eventually shake hands with Trump, for the sake of international relations he pretty much has to put on a polite face but this cosiness is unsettling for them.’
And despite Trump’s clear dislike of Harry, the President-elect has made it clear that he believes Meghan has been the driving force between the on-going rift between the Sussexes and the Royal Family – a feud he believes ‘broke the Queen’s heart’.
Trump, who was a huge fan of the late Queen, said in 2021, ‘I’m not a fan of hers [Meghan]. I wasn’t from day one. I think Harry has been used horribly and I think some day he will regret it…I think it’s ruined his relationship with his family, and it hurts the Queen.
‘Although, she wouldn’t show it because she was strong and smart, I would imagine they broke her heart. The things that they were saying were so bad and so horrible. She was in her 90s and hearing this stuff, I think they broke her heart. I think they really hurt her.’
Meanwhile, Trump has gushed that Prince William, 42, is ‘really very handsome’ and said they had enjoyed a ‘great talk’ during which Trump asked William about Kate Middleton and his father, King Charles, who have both undergone treatment for cancer this year.
Now the source says Meghan believes Trump could have attempted to bad-mouth her and Harry to William behind-the-scenes.
They add, ‘Meghan has zero doubt that Trump spoke negatively about her and Harry at this meeting, and there’s clearly worse to come once he gets into office. To say they’re furious and feeling like a laughing stock is a major understatement. They’re already dealing with so much worry and anxiety about what will happen once Trump takes office next month and this has just piled more stress on them. It does feel for her and for Harry like this is a line in the sand. They’ve been trying so hard to mend fences with William but it seems pretty clear that nothing they’ve done has made a bit of difference.’
However, after putting on a united front with Kate and their children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six – at the Royal Carols: Together at Christmas service last week, the source says William is less-than-impressed by Harry and Meghan’s outrage.
They say, ‘William doesn’t care at all, he’s very clear that he was simply doing his duty being a professional and he finds it pretty telling that Harry and Meghan would manage to make it about them.
‘He’s not going to apologise for doing his job and he’s certainly not going to worry about how what he does to protect his country will be perceived by them, they need to grow up already!'