In a matter of days 1.8 million Brits have signed a petition to boycott President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK.
It seems the public’s protest rings true with certain members of the British monarchy too, including HRH Prince Harry.
The 32-year-old royal is concerned about Trump’s presidency and feel his policies are ‘a serious threat to human rights’, according to a close source speaking to US Weekly.
The royal insider added that Prince Harry, who is well respected in Britain for his humanitarian efforts and his military service in Helmand, Afghanistan, ‘is not a fan’ President Trump.
Harry has never hidden his contempt for Trump and the President’s extreme rhetoric, ever since his election campaign began in 2015. But the situation has escalated in recent weeks after Trump signed an executive order which bans citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries entering America.
A second source told US Weekly that Harry has ‘often been vocal’ regarding his dislike for Trump.
This hardly comes as a surprise. President Trump has a tumultuous history with the British monarchy.
The leader of the Free World was criticised for victim-blaming Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, after topless photographs of Kate sunbathing were leaked online.
Only last year, a close friend of the late HRH Princess Diana claimed Donald Trump ‘bombarded Diana at Kensington Palace with massive bouquets of flowers’, adding that Trump gave Diana, who died in 1997, ‘the creeps’ in an edition of The Sunday Times.
Considering these alleged incidents, it is no wonder Prince Harry – the youngest son of Diana – may not be in attendance during Trump’s state visit, which is scheduled for 2017.
The invitation of a state visit was offered to Trump by Prime Minister, Theresa May – on behalf of HRH Queen Elizabeth II – during her controversial trip to the White House last week.
Despite an outcry from the British public, May has declined to revoke the invitation.
According to the Daily Mail, a former Foreign Office boss has stated the invite could put Queen Elizabeth II in a difficult position.
State visits traditionally constitutes lavish pomp and ceremony during a stay of several days at the Queen’s official residence, Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace has played host to its fair share of contentious leaders, including Vladimir Putin, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.