Joe Biden's cheeky comment to Prince Harry resurfaces

Since moving to California in March, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been vocal in encouraging people to vote, as the US went to the polls for the presidential election, though in the wake of Joe Biden’s victory the pair have kept silent.

They seem to be keeping themselves politically neutral in keeping with their former royal positions, which may be particularly difficult for them, because the royal couple has some solid history with the President-elect, his wife and the new Vice President-elect.

Prince Harry, Jill Biden and Prince Harry at the Invictus Games
Prince Harry and Joe and Jill Biden have been friends since they began attending the Invictus Games together. Photo: Getty Images

In fact, Prince Harry once fielded quite a cheeky comment from the soon to be President about his close friendship with wife Dr Jill Biden.

The trio have met many times over the years thanks to their involvement in the Invictus Games which Dr Biden first attended while Joe was still the Vice President of the States in 2014.

RELATED:

While his wife was in the UK for the games that year, then-Vice President Joe joked to The Guardian about becoming concerned at Harry and Jill’s proximity.

Vice President Joe Biden shares a moment with Prince Harry during the gold medal wheelchair rugby gold medal match of USA against Denmark at the Invictus Gams
Joe joked he would have to take Harry to task after he spent 'too much time' with Jill. Photo: Getty Images

“My wife was with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games,” he said at the time. “And I read in the Guardian, or one of them, and it says – I’m paraphrasing – everywhere Prince Harry went, he had this blonde woman on his arm.”

“The vice-president’s wife! I’m a little worried here, you know what I mean?”

The hysterical jab wasn’t a one-off either, two years later he referred again to his so-called redheaded rival joking that his wife had “spent too much damn time with Prince Harry”.

Jill Biden and Prince Harry at the Invictus Games Toronto in 2017
Harry and Gill attended the 2014 Games together, with Joe joining in 2016. Photo: Getty Images

Prince Harry has forged a good friendship with Joe and Jill Biden over the years, and the President-elect and his wife have been to the Invictus Games on several occasions.

One of the key things they have in common is the military, which Harry is passionate about.

Harry, 36, spent 10 years in the British Army, during which time he served in Afghanistan. After he left, the prince created the Invictus Games having been inspired by the Warrior Games in the US, which he saw in 2013.

Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Barack Obama and Prince Harry sit in the stands at the Invictus Games
By 2017, former President Obama was also in attendence. Photo: Getty Images

The Bidens’ son Beau, who died in 2015, was a major in the US military and Dr Jill Biden referred to the bond she shared with “military moms”.

At an event held at the White House during Harry’s 2013 tour of the United States, Dr Biden said: “I feel a special bond with other military moms. I'll never forget the day that Beau deployed to Iraq. It was that mixture of pride and concern that military moms know all too well, right? Having Beau overseas was a tough year for our entire family, but it was especially difficult for my daughter-in-law Hallie, my granddaughter Natalie and our grandson Hunter.”

Harry, Dr Biden and Michelle Obama met military families throughout the afternoon at the event.

Prince Harry and Joe Biden at the Invictus Games in 2016
Harry and Biden met at the Toronto games in 2016. Photo: Getty Images

Dr Biden then attended the 2014 games, and took her husband with her when the games were held in Toronto in 2016.

At the 2017 games, which was a reunion for Obama and Biden, Dr Biden tweeted that she was thrilled to be there with Harry and others.

As well as Harry’s link to Joe and Jill Biden, Meghan has won the support of Kamala Harris, the new vice president-elect.

Harris shared videos of Meghan and offered her support, particularly when Meghan spoke about the death of George Floyd.

In 2019, before Harry and Meghan had stepped back from their senior royal duties, Harris praised Meghan’s emotion in the iconic South African interview. When Meghan thanked reporter Tom Bradby for asking if she was okay, and said life in the spotlight while pregnant had been a struggle.

Retweeting the post from biographer, Omid Scobie, Harris said: “Meghan, we are with you.”

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex smiling
Kamala Harris has been a vocal supporter of Meghan Markle. Photo: Getty Images

In August, Meghan held a chat with Gloria Steinem, long term activist, and the pair praised the idea that Harris could become vice president.

Steinem said: “The heart of the Democratic party has been Black women, actually, and now there is a potential Vice President who is Black and that’s exciting.”

Meghan replied: “I’m so excited to see that kind of representation. You know, for me, being biracial, growing up, whether it was a doll or a person in office, you need to see someone who looks like you in some capacity. As many of us believe, you can only be what you can see.

“And in the absence of that, how can you aspire to something greater than what you see in your own world? I think maybe now we’re starting to break-through in a different way.”

Harry and Meghan kept their pre-election comments largely about democracy and voting itself and did not endorse one candidate over another.

However, their statements were viewed as supportive of the Democrats, in part because Meghan previously called Donald Trump, who was the Republican candidate and running for re-election “divisive”.

Reporting by Rebecca C Taylor.

Never miss a thing. Sign up to Yahoo Lifestyle’s daily newsletter.

Or if you have a story idea, email us at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com.