Meghan Markle Shares Rare Photos of Prince Harry Amid Row With Donald Trump
Meghan Markle has publicly shown support for Prince Harry after he spoke out against comments made by US President Donald Trump about NATO forces in Afghanistan. As criticism of Trump’s remarks grew, the Duchess of Sussex shared rare photographs highlighting Harry’s military service and his long-standing work with veterans.
The timing was the key factor here. Harry had just issued a public statement defending British and Allied troops after Trump suggested, during a Fox News interview, that NATO forces “stayed a little off the front lines” during the Afghanistan conflict and that the United States had “never needed” its allies. The remarks triggered backlash on both sides of the Atlantic, particularly given NATO’s role following the September 11 attacks.
Harry, who served two frontline tours in Afghanistan, responded by stressing the human cost of the war and the sacrifices made by service personnel. Shortly after his statement was released on Friday evening, Markle posted a series of images on her Instagram stories highlighting Harry’s military past and his continued work with veterans through the Invictus Games. This is not the first time Harry has expressed his displeasure with the US President.
The photographs included an image of Harry inside a military aircraft, alongside scenes of veterans celebrating and competing at the Invictus Games. While Markle added no caption, the message she wanted to give was evident. In his statement, Harry talked about the scale of the Afghanistan conflict and NATO’s involvement. He noted that in 2001, the alliance invoked Article 5 for the first — and only — time in its history, requiring member nations to defend the United States collectively. “Allies answered that call,” he said. “I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there.”
He went on to speak about the losses suffered by the UK alone. “The United Kingdom alone had 457 service personnel killed. Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters. Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost,” Harry said. “Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defence of diplomacy and peace.”