What Trump Said Off Camera About Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Royal Rift

Meredith KileFri, May 1, 2026 at 4:53 PM UTC

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Donald Trump; Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan MarkleCredit: Samir Hussein - Pool/Getty; Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty -

President Donald Trump offered up his candid opinions on the royal family to a reporter during an Oval Office meeting

Robert Hardman presented Trump with a copy of his new biography on the late Queen Elizabeth, for which he interviewed the president

During their meeting, Trump shared his opinions on the royal rift between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William and Kate Middleton

Royal biographer Robert Hardman got an unexpected royal rundown from President Donald Trump, including his thoughts on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Prince William.

Hardman landed a private meeting with Trump amid King Charles and Queen Camilla's four-day state visit to the United States — which included two days with the president in Washington D.C. — and recounted the unanticipated encounter for the Daily Mail.

A known fan of the royals, inspired by his Scottish-born mother, Trump was eager to talk about the visit, asking Hardman, "We've done a good job with the King, right?... He's a great guy, he really is."

King Charles and President Donald Trump share a laugh during a state dinner at the White House on April 28, 2026Credit: Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty

Trump then asked about King Charles' son and heir: "William, he'll be a good King, won't he?"

"He's very nice. A great guy. I like him," the president, 79, added.

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After being thoroughly charmed by Kate, 44, his seatmate during last year's state banquet in the U.K., Trump had nothing but positive things to say about the Princess of Wales.

"How's she doing? She's so great. She was sick, people said crazy things about her and she was so brave," he said, referring to the Princess of Wales and her time out of the public eye in 2024 — a period when conspiracy theories swirled — before she revealed her cancer diagnosis.

Trump was even interested in the future generation of the monarchy, asking after Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 8: "The kids are good kids, right?"

Kate Middleton toasts President Donald Trump during a state banquet at Windsor Castle on Sept. 17, 2026Credit: YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty

Hardman said it was clear that Trump's reverence didn't extend to all members of the family.

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"So can Harry make a comeback?" he asked the royal expert.

Prince Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, stepped back from their royal duties in 2020 and moved their family to California, and the Duke of Sussex has only returned to the U.K. a handful of times since. He and William seemingly haven't spoken in years, and when Harry met with King Charles, 77, in September 2025, the 55-minute conversation was their first in nearly two years.

When the biographer admitted to Trump that it seems "highly unlikely" that Harry finds his way back into the royal fold, the president reflected, "Too many things, I guess."

Then, the president commented on Meghan: "That wife of his. Boy, what she's done to that guy... I guess she got blocked out by William's wife."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Australia on April 17, 2026Credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty

Hardman's inside scoop came after he had interviewed Trump for his new biography of the late Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story. His Oval Office summons came as a surprise, as his meeting with Trump had initially been canceled following the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner before a last-minute change.

Handing over one of the first U.S. copies of the book to the president, Hardman wrote that it became clear why Trump had made time on his schedule.

"Let's see if he's said reasonably nice things," the president mused as he leafed through the pages, looking for his name.

The biographer reminded the president that he wrote that the late Queen, "according to those close to her," had found him "charming, tall, tanned, big, courteous, mid-century" and also "amusing" following their 2019 state visit.

Hardman said Trump smiled at the mélange of compliments from the ever-diplomatic monarch.

"I've had better," he said, "and I've certainly had worse."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”