If the thought of Donald Trump being back in the White House fills you with horror, try being a member of the Royal Family. Over the next four years the King, like his mother before him, will almost certainly have the dubious pleasure of hosting President Trump and enduring all manner of diplomatic pleasantries.
But how much worse must it be for a prince living in California, with a tricky challenge to his visa application and a fiercely Democratic wife who has been slammed by Trump as “nasty”? This is squeaky bum time for Harry and Meghan.
Trump is not a man who forgets or easily forgives. He will remember that Meghan called him “divisive and misogynistic”. He responded by saying he was not a fan of hers, adding spikily that he wished Harry a lot of luck because he was “going to need it”.
And now Harry will be hoping his luck has not run out in the row over his visa. A conservative American think tank called The Heritage Foundation has been trying to force the publication of Harry’s visa documents. It argues that his admission in his book Spare that he has used a variety of drugs should bar him from living and working in America. So far, however, the law courts have decided that his application should remain sealed and the case has been formally terminated.
But Harry will be only too aware that, in the past, Trump has voiced his view that the Biden administration was being “too gracious” towards the Prince. And he said, pointedly, that he wouldn’t protect him. He accused him of betraying the late Queen and of breaking her heart.
One straw that Harry might cling to is the fact that The Heritage Foundation has recently annoyed Trump by forcing the release of the immigration records of his wife’s late mother. And, let’s face it, the president-elect has far weightier problems on his hands than an estranged Prince’s right to stay in the States.
Estranged they might be. But, officially, Harry and Meghan are both still members of the Royal Family and, as such, they tread a delicate tightrope if they venture into the political arena. Any disparaging remarks or political interventions by either of them risk embarrassing the King.
In the run-up to the 2016 election, Meghan Markle said she would consider moving permanently to Canada if Trump won. In the event, he did – and she didn’t. At the time, her romance with Harry was in its infancy and so she was perfectly free to voice her opinion. This time round, they seem to have recognised the need to stay quiet.
The Sussexes live in one of the most liberal and staunchly Democratic parts of the United States. They have a mansion in an expensive and heavily protected enclave in California where they will hope to live a life relatively cocooned from Trumpist America.
They clearly won’t be happy with the result of the election, but I doubt if it’s enough for them to uproot their family and move elsewhere. However, of course, has been reported that they have bought a bolthole in Portugal – probably rather more than a bolt hole, more of a very beautiful villa, possibly sourced by Princess Eugenie’s husband, Jack, who works with a property tycoon out there.
So, if things do get tricky or uncomfortable in the States, Europe may see a little more of Harry and Meghan and their children. My guess is that they will let the dust settle and see how things pan out. But the land of the free” may not seem quite so free to them now.
