Former US President Donald Trump has voiced his willingness to engage in a debate with Meghan Markle regarding her alleged mistreatment of the late Queen Elizabeth II
during her time within the British royal family.
Speaking on The Hugh Hewitt Show on September 6, Trump criticized the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, claiming that they showed disrespect towards the Queen when they chose to step down from their roles as senior working royals in 2020.
"I didn't like the way she dealt with the Queen," Trump stated. "They treated her with great disrespect, and I didn't like it."
During his three-day state visit to the UK in June 2019, Trump had the opportunity to meet Queen Elizabeth, who was 93 years old at the time. He praised the Queen's sharpness and took the occasion to criticize his Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden.
Trump expressed strong disagreement with the actions of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, possibly referring to the couple's controversial claims about the royal family in Prince Harry's memoir, "Spare," and their Netflix docuseries, "Harry & Meghan."
"I think it's not a good situation going on with the two of them, but I didn't know that they don't like me. Somebody mentioned it might be possible. They wouldn't be the only ones," Trump added. "If you want to set it up, let's set it up. I'd love to debate her."
This isn't the first time Trump has criticized Meghan Markle. He has previously labeled her as "very disrespectful" to the Queen in various interviews. In one instance, he stated that Meghan was "leading Prince Harry by the nose" and predicted that their marriage would face challenges. He has also expressed that he was "not a fan" of Meghan and wished Harry "a lot of luck."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their senior working royal duties in 2020 and moved to Montecito, California. Since then, they have been open about their experiences within the royal family, sharing details in interviews and documentaries.
Trump had expressed sadness and sympathy for the Queen when the couple first announced their decision to step back from royal duties. Queen Elizabeth passed away on September 8, 2022, and following her death, Trump reflected on his conversations with her during his UK visit.
"We had a good chemistry," Trump recalled. "She was incredible to speak to and so sharp. Her mind was so sharp, and just to be with her was something very special." Photo by Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia commons.