Why Donald Trump's win could majorly impact Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's life in the US

The results of the 2024 US Presidential Election could impact Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's life in Montecito, California.

In his race against Kamala Harris, Donald Trump emerged victorious on Wednesday when he surpassed 270 electoral college votes by winning the state of Wisconsin.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no doubt feeling somewhat anxious, given that the US President has previously spoken about Harry's visa row, explaining that he would take "appropriate action" over questions Harry and Meghan lied on his application about recreational drug use.

Meanwhile, speaking at a political conference in February, Trump claimed the Biden administration had been "too gracious" to Harry since his relocation to California.

Harry previously revealed he took drugs in his bombshell memoir, Spare, which prompted a Washington conservative think tank to question his eligibility to enter the US in 2020.

Opening up, he wrote that he tried cocaine which "didn’t do anything for me", before adding: "Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me."

The Heritage Foundation brought the lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security (DHS) after a Freedom of Information Act request was rejected, with the think tank claiming it was of "immense public interest".

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Back in September, a court judge nonetheless ruled that Prince Harry's US visa application would remain sealed.

US judge Carl Nichols ruled that "the public does not have a strong interest in disclosure of the Duke’s immigration records".

He added: "Like any foreign national, the Duke has a legitimate privacy interest in his immigration status. And the Duke's public statements about his travel and drug use did not disclose, and therefore did not eliminate his interest in keeping private, specific information regarding his immigration status, applications, or other materials."

Harry and Meghan's US move

The couple, who tied the knot back in 2018, relocated to California in January 2020 after they announced that they would be stepping down as senior working royals.

They temporarily moved into Hollywood producer Tyler Perry's Los Angeles mansion before later buying their current family home in Montecito, Santa Barbara. In June 2021, they welcomed their second child - a daughter called Lilibet.

Harry and Meghan appear to have found their groove across the pond, with Meghan setting up her own lifestyle brand called American Riviera Orchard. While her brand is still in the works, it's been revealed that she's planning to sell a range of products including jams, tableware, yoga accessories and home goods.

Back in September, her brand had a setback when the company's name, inspired by the colloquial name for Santa Barbara, California, had its trademark application refused, with the application noting that it is a "commonly used nickname" for the area.

The US Patent and Trademark Office stated that all applicants must "leave geographic names free for all businesses operating in the same area,” meaning there has been no exclusive claim to the name.

"Registration is refused because the applied-for mark is primarily geographically descriptive," the Office stated.