Inside Donald Trump’s Rocky Relationship With The Royal Family

President-elect Donald Trump won the vote against his opponent in a historic and contentious election in November 2024. However, many people were left wondering: What are other world leaders thinking right now? After all, Trump is not one who is known for diplomacy.

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In fact, when Trump first met the late Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, he drew scrutiny for walking in front of the monarch. “Mr. Trump walked slightly ahead of the queen as they inspected her honor guard,” the New York Times reported in 2018. The move seemed to be interpreted as a breach of royal protocol.

Despite the reports, Eric Trump told the Daily Mail in October 2024, “My father loved the Queen and I think the monarchy is an incredibly beautiful thing.” Yet, since Trump’s controversial encounter with the royals, the president-elect made several statements that would give anyone pause.

According to Eric Trump, his family and King Charles had been acquainted even before Trump met the queen in 2018. “We’ve known the King forever. In fact, I was just digging through a photo album not too long ago and I came across a picture of him with my father, I’m six years old in the lobby of Mar-a-Lago,” the president-elect’s son recalled in the Daily Mail interview. One notable tension in Trump’s relationship with the royals emerged over climate change during a meeting with Prince Charles, who is known for his environmental advocacy.

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In 2019, Prince Charles and Trump had an extended discussion on climate issues during Trump’s state visit to the U.K. “I think we had a great conversation, and it was about — as you would call it — climate change,” Trump recalled. “I’ll tell you what moved me is his passion for future generations. He’s really not doing this for him. He’s doing this for future generations,” he said (via Time). Trump, who has previously voiced skepticism about climate change, acknowledged the now-crowned King Charles’ passion for the topic but remained steadfast in his views. Their conversation reportedly went on much longer than planned, emphasizing the contrast in the perspectives between Trump’s policies and the royal family’s values on environmental matters.

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What’s more, on the heels of Hurricane Helene, Trump said, “They never talk about the environment anymore. You know why?” He concluded: “It’s one of the greatest scams of all time… people aren’t buying it any more” (via The Independent). Statements like these leave people wondering how or if Trump plans to tackle climate change in his second term — and no, Trump can’t run for a third term. 

In addition to differences in political views, Donald Trump once made comments about King Charles III’s former wife, Princess Diana of Wales, that could be characterized as unseemly and disrespectful. In 1997, shortly after Diana’s tragic passing in a car accident, Trump appeared on “The Howard Stern Show,” where the topic of the late princess came up. Host Howard Stern asked Trump, “Why do people think it’s egotistical of you to say you could’ve gotten with Lady Di? You could’ve gotten her, right? You could’ve nailed her,” via Newsweek. Trump responded, “I think I could have.”

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The exchange raised eyebrows as it came soon after Princess Diana’s death, a time when tributes and mourning dominated global headlines. Many found the comment insensitive, given the solemnity of the moment. Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997, was beloved worldwide for her humanitarian efforts and charm. Trump’s remark, delivered in Stern’s trademark candid interview style, could be criticized as inappropriate, especially considering the deeply the public was grieving over her loss. Given the transformation of Donald Trump, it looks like not a lot has changed.

Donald Trump once made surprising remarks about Kate Middleton, now the Princess of Wales, that drew widespread attention. In 2012, after photos emerged of Kate sunbathing topless while on a private holiday, Trump took to social media to share his opinion. “Kate Middleton is great,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “but she shouldn’t be sunbathing in the nude—only herself to blame.” Trump didn’t stop there, though. He double-down on his crude comment by adding in a follow-up post,  “Who wouldn’t take Kate’s picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing. Come on, Kate!”

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His comments came as British media and the royal family condemned the invasion of the princess’s privacy, with many expressing support for the then-duchess during the challenging moment. Some saw Trump’s remarks as dismissive of the princess’s privacy, suggesting she was responsible for the unwanted attention. The incident sparked discussions about the boundaries of public figures’ privacy, especially for members of the royal family, who are often under intense media scrutiny.

Donald Trump has also made public comments about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, adding another layer to his complex relationship with the royal family. In 2020, following Harry and Meghan’s announcement to step back from royal duties, Trump made it clear he wasn’t supportive of the couple’s decision, especially when it came to their living in the U.S. In an interview, he stated that the U.S. would not cover the costs for the Sussexes’ security.

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“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!” Trump tweeted in March of 2020.

Now that he has been elected to a second term, folks are wondering what that means for Harry and Megan. “I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That’s unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me,” Trump said in February 2024 when asked (via The Hill). Clearly, Trump is not a fan of the former royals, nor is his son Eric, who seems to have a one-sided feud with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. These comments leave many wondering: Will Trump deport Harry and Meghan?

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Perhaps one of the most shocking gestures of disrespect was President-elect Donald Trump skipping the queen’s funeral. When Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September 2022, Donald Trump and Melania Trump were invited to pay their respects. However, they chose not to attend the service. His absence sparked discussions about his relationship with the queen and the royal family. Trump then proceeded to mock President Joe Biden’s seat because it was too far behind the other world leaders. “If I were president, they wouldn’t have sat me back there—and our Country would be much different than it is right now,” Trump said, “In Real Estate, like in Politics and in Life, LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!!!” (via USA Today).

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Trump later posted a tribute to the queen on his social media platform, Truth Social. “Queen Elizabeth’s historic and remarkable reign left a tremendous legacy of peace and prosperity for Great Britain. Her leadership and enduring diplomacy secured and advanced alliances with the United States and countries,” Trump wrote. Although his words were respectful, his absence from the funeral added to the complexity of his relationship with the British monarchy, leaving some to wonder how this relationship may evolve in the future, especially now that he’s secured a second term.