Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, once celebrated as senior royals, have faced mixed reactions in the United States since stepping back from royal duties and moving to California in 2020. The couple, who tied the knot in 2018, now live in Montecito with their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, claimed in an interview with GB News that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have “alienated most Americans”.
He suggested their frequent criticism of the Royal Family has not been well received, as many Americans admire the monarchy. Gardiner added that the late Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed immense popularity in the US.
“Harry and Meghan are viewed as just massive narcissists who spend all the time trashing the Royal Family. Most Americans really admire the Royal Family. The Queen was hugely popular with Americans, and they don't take kindly to attacks on the Royal Family," Gardiner told the publication.
However, contrasting Gardiner’s claims, a recent YouGov poll reveals that 49% of Americans hold a positive opinion of Prince Harry, with only 24% expressing a negative view. This indicates that opinions about the Sussexes remain divided.
Since relocating to the US, Harry and Meghan have made headlines with their high-profile projects, including their controversial 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview. During the interview, Meghan alleged that Princess Kate had “made her cry”. She also claimed that an unnamed royal raised concerns about Prince Archie’s skin colour.
These revelations sparked widespread debate and led Prince William to publicly state, “We are very much not a racist family.”
The Sussexes’ Netflix documentary and Harry’s memoir, Spare, released in 2023, further highlighted their strained relationship with the Royal Family. While these projects found success among their supporters, they also attracted massive criticism.
