Months ago, when I was covering some story about the Heritage Foundation pushing hard for Prince Harry’s visa records and eventual deportation, I remarked that if Donald Trump won the election, everyone would have much bigger worries than “is Harry going to be deported?” We absolutely do have bigger fish to fry, but predictably, the royalists are throwing a huge party because of Trump’s win. The Venn diagram of royalists and MAGAts is an overlapping circle, and they’re begging the incoming Trump administration to please spare a moment to release Harry’s visa records and throw him out of the country. They honestly believe that Trump is going to order someone to handcuff Harry and march him back to England. Like, they believe Harry has no other options? It’s bizarre. Anyway, the Mail’s Richard Eden must have talked to all of Prince William’s clownish advisors, because everyone over there is damp with expectations of Harry’s eventual deportation.
When I disclosed last month that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had bought a home on the coast of Portugal, the reasons behind the purchase remained shrouded in mystery. Why had the couple bought their first European property after being evicted from Windsor’s Frogmore Cottage by King Charles early last year? Now, things may have become clearer: Prince Harry and Meghan could have been seeking an escape route if Donald Trump returned to the White House.
A royal source told me earlier this year that the Sussexes were making increasingly ‘desperate’ efforts to extend olive branches across the Atlantic. It followed a string of hostile comments from the Trump family. And the same insider yesterday said: ‘We can expect to see more of Harry back in Britain in years to come.’
During a visit to the Trump International Golf Links in Scotland in August, the President-elect’s son Eric called the Duke and Duchess ‘spoiled apples’ and echoed his father’s claims that Harry could be deported if the Republicans won. ‘You can happily have those two,’ Eric added. ‘We might not want them anymore; it feels like they’re on an island of their own.’
Donald Trump had previously suggested that Harry – who has lived in California since 2020 – would not get ‘special privileges’ and indeed may be deported if he is found to have falsified information on his visa form.
Someone who worked for the royals while the couple were still part of ‘The Firm’ told me in August: ‘It seems quite clear that the Sussexes are desperate to start healing the rift [with the Royal Family].’ As evidence, the source pointed to the string of stories that had recently appeared in People magazine, a favoured outlet of Harry and Meghan. They included an article in July about Harry’s despair that his father was not accepting his phone calls and another claiming that his rift with Prince William was not ‘irreparable’.
[From The Daily Mail]
“We can expect to see more of Harry back in Britain in years to come.” Sounds like that’s what William believes, maybe Charles too. But my sense is that Harry would rather live literally anywhere else with Meghan and their kids, and that his attempts to speak to Charles are about Charles’s health and not anything else.
Meanwhile, Heritage’s Nile Gardiner is already providing quotes to British media about his hopes, and Heritage’s hopes, that a Trump-administration’s DHS would release Harry’s visa records. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told i News: “If [Trump] is provoked, it could get very messy. The whole thought of a member of the Royal Family being thrown out of the United States, especially given the special relationship, it would be very embarrassing for the Royal Family.” LOL, if this ends up being one of those “when the dog catches the car” situations, I will laugh my ass off. Trump’s DHS will release Harry’s visa records, then suddenly DHS is inundated with calls to release all visa records, and Heritage pressures Trump to deport Harry (for no reason, because Harry’s casual drug use years ago is not a deportation-level offense) and Trump doesn’t want to because even he knows it will opening a huge can of worms. Anyway, I’m glad Harry and Meghan have that Portuguese bolthole.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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Prinz Harry, Duke of Sussex, bei seinem Besuch anlässlich der Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 vor dem Rathaus Düsseldorf. Düsseldorf, 09.09.2023 NRW Deutschland *** Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, during his visit on the occasion of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 in front of the city hall Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, 09 09 2023 NRW Germany Copyright: xChristophxHardtx,Image: 804311448, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Christoph Hardt / Avalon
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Invictus Games Prinz Harry und Meghan beim Rollstuhl Basketball Finale Prinz Harry, Herzog von Sussex gemeinsam mit Ehefrau Meghan Markle, Herzogin von Sussex beim Rollstuhl-Basketball Finale zwischen Frankreich und der USA im Rahmen der Invictus Games 2023, Duesseldorf, 13.09.2023 Duesseldorf Nordrhein-Westfalen Deutschland *** Invictus Games Prince Harry and Meghan at the Wheelchair Basketball Final Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex together with wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex at the Wheelchair Basketball Final between France and the USA during the Invictus Games 2023, Duesseldorf, 13 09 2023 Duesseldorf Nordrhein Westfalen Germany,Image: 805086128, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO / Avalon
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DUESSELDORF, GERMANY – 13th Sep 2023. SEPTEMBER 13: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Mixed Team Gold Medal Wheelchair Basketball match between Team United States and Team France during day four of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on September 13, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany. *** DUESSELDORF, GERMANY 13th Sep 2023 SEPTEMBER 13 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Mixed Team Gold Medal Wheelchair Basketball match between Team United States and Team France during day four of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on September 13, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany,Image: 805097817, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Moritz Mueller / Avalon
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DUESSELDORF, GERMANY – 13th Sep 2023. SEPTEMBER 13: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Mixed Team Gold Medal Wheelchair Basketball match between Team United States and Team France during day four of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on September 13, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany. *** DUESSELDORF, GERMANY 13th Sep 2023 SEPTEMBER 13 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Mixed Team Gold Medal Wheelchair Basketball match between Team United States and Team France during day four of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on September 13, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany,Image: 805097831, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Moritz Mueller / Avalon
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DUESSELDORF, GERMANY – 13th Sep 2023. SEPTEMBER 13: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Mixed Team Gold Medal Wheelchair Basketball match between Team United States and Team France during day four of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on September 13, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany. *** DUESSELDORF, GERMANY 13th Sep 2023 SEPTEMBER 13 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Mixed Team Gold Medal Wheelchair Basketball match between Team United States and Team France during day four of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on September 13, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany,Image: 805098241, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Moritz Mueller / Avalon
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Invictus Games 2023 Rollstuhlbasketball 13.09.2023 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex und Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex waehrend der Siegerehrung Invictus Games 2023, Rollstuhlbasketball Finale USA – Frankreich, Duesseldorf, Merkur Spiel Arena am 13.09.2023 *** Invictus Games 2023 Wheelchair Basketball 13 09 2023 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex during the award ceremony Invictus Games 2023, Wheelchair Basketball Final USA France, Duesseldorf, Merkur Spiel Arena on 13 09 2023 Copyright:,Image: 805707474, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Wunderl / Avalon
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Invictus Games 2023 Rollstuhlbasketball 13.09.2023 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex und Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex verfolgen das Finale im Rollstuhlbasketball Invictus Games 2023, Rollstuhlbasketball Finale USA – Frankreich, Duesseldorf, Merkur Spiel Arena am 13.09.2023 *** Invictus Games 2023 wheelchair basketball 13 09 2023 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex watch the final in wheelchair basketball Invictus Games 2023, wheelchair basketball final USA France, Duesseldorf, Merkur Spiel Arena on 13 09 2023 Copyright:,Image: 805707493, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Wunderl / Avalon
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Prinz Harry, Herzog von Sussex bei seiner Rede, Closing Ceremony, am 16.09.2023 Invictus Games Duesseldorf, vom 09.09. – 16.09.2023 in Duesseldorf/ Deutschland. Â *** Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex during his speech, Closing Ceremony, on 16 09 2023 Invictus Games Duesseldorf, from 09 09 16 09 2023 in Duesseldorf Germany Â,Image: 805975484, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Anke Waelischmiller/SVEN SIMON / Avalon