Henry Riley 4am - 7am
Is 'Princess' Meghan the person to take on Trump?
15 May 2024, 11:36
Today Meghan and Harry will be settling back into their Montecito mansion after their successful Nigerian tour.
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As they settle down with Archie and Lilibet to reflect on the much-needed boost to their popularity we should be in no doubt that their attention will quickly turn to "what next?"
And it will not be their recent jam-making project. I don't think anyone can see Meghan becoming a rival to Hartley's or Bonne Maman!
The three-day 'private' Nigerian tour was the couple's first trip since relinquishing royal duties and they were under pressure to make it a success.
Undoubtedly It had all the glizt and glamour of a royal tour without some of the controversy that have mired some of his family's recent trips overseas.
It was a chance for Harry and Meghan to engage in a hearts-and-minds charm offensive, which they executed with aplomb.
Meghan, in particular, embraced exploring her Nigerian ancestry after discovering several years ago that she is 43 per cent Nigerian through a genealogy test.
They set off as Duke and Duchess but returned to America as a Prince and Princess.
But here lies the problem for the couple.
Harry's behaviour since Megxit has made a return to the actual royal fold impossible. His constant sniping at members of his family have been - at best - disrespectful and Meghan clearly has no desire to set foot in Britain again.
Would she be welcome? Tolerated, yes. Welcomed, frankly, I doubt it.
So what next for them?
Perhaps Meghan, Harry or their aides are following events in Manhattan where former President Trump is on trial accused of approving false records over payments to hush up an affair with porn star Stormy Daniels. He denies the accusations.
If convicted, Mr Trump will face years of jail time and he has three more criminal cases pending against him in Washington DC, Florida and Georgia.
Will that stop him?
Despite his legal battles Mr Trump is still ahead of President Joe Biden in the polls.
And his pull over the Republican party is clear to see as suitors battling to be his running mate line up behind him when star witnesses such as Michael Cohen give evidence.
Perhaps the only thing that can stop Mr Trump getting the Republican nomination is the former President himself and his inability to shut up and obey legal gagging orders.
Mr Trump and his supporting cast are controlling the narrative and the trial is overshadowing the early stages of the Presidential campaign.
I am sure that conversations are taking place among Democrats about how - and if - President Biden can beat Mr Trump.
Although he has shown no sign of standing down, Mr Biden is 81. Does he really want to carry on for another five years? Age catches up on us all.
But if not Mr Biden then who? Could vice-president Kamala Harris take on a supreme showman like Mr Trump - especially as the Democrats stick with Mr Biden and give Mr trump a running start.
Maybe they should think outside the box and put in a call to Montecito.
'Meghan, how would you fancy?'...
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