AMANDA PLATELL: Just give up your royal titles Harry and become a US citizen

When Prince Harry and ­Meghan left our shores for a new life in America in 2020, they told us it was so they could ‘not just survive but thrive’.

But even though they were no longer working royals, Harry was adamant about one thing: ‘The UK is my home and a place that I love. That will never change.’

Well, that didn’t last long. Now he has registered his home as America. In an update of Companies House records filed this week, the Duke of Sussex declared the United States his ‘new country’ of residence.

But will he go further? When asked in a TV interview if he would consider becoming an American citizen, he dodged the question — almost certainly because U.S. immigration policy states ‘any applicant who has any titles of heredity or positions of nobility in any foreign state must renounce the title or the position’.

Across the Atlantic, Harry and Meghan cling to their family ­connections like poison ivy

So Harry seems to be having it both ways. He wants to become a U.S. ‘resident’ but not a citizen because he needs to hold on to his and Meghan’s titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and bleed them for all their worth.

Without them there would never have been any multi-million pound deal with Netflix.

It’s not as if they’ve been hired for their talent.

Harry and Meghan are said to be pursuing projects away from the Royal Family such as her American Riviera Orchard jam. Yet they cling to their family ­connections like poison ivy.

They should have the guts to go with their convictions.

Harry should become a U.S. ­citizen, renounce his titles and see what it’s like in the real world being plain Harry and Meghan Windsor.

After Meghan launched her strawberry jam, her new bestie Tracy Robbins, married to the head of Paramount, posted on social media: ‘I absolutely just love this jam’ . . . ‘breakfast, lunch and dinner just got a lot sweeter’. What nincompoop has jam with every meal? 

Sydney Sweeney at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in California last month

Sydney's the real deal

Top Hollywood producer Carol Baum tells the New York Times she can’t see the point of rising actress Sydney Sweeney, 26.

‘She’s not pretty, she can’t act. Why is she so hot? Nobody has the answer.’ How cruel of the highly respected Baum, 81, to attack a young actress in this way.

And she misses the point. We ordinary women love new stars who aren’t classically ‘pretty’. They’re all the more real and fabulous.

Calls for a smacking ban made me think of my childhood. I only once got a real whack from my Dad, on my bum, while on holiday. Against strict instructions not to go near ‘the lagoon’, where two children had drowned, I took my toddler brother there.

Out all day, we were finally found by a search party. Never did it again.

Victoria Beckham was engaged to electrician Mark Wood who lived with her in her family home. VB later said: ‘If only he’d stayed in the cupboard that I met him in at my mum’s house.’ Not nice Vic, but I wonder if Mark thinks he had the lucky escape, given the public pantomime of your life. 

 ++Westminster Wars++

• Boris achieved Brexit, David Cameron legalised gay marriage, Theresa May did, er, nothing but fight to stay in the EU and Liz Truss wrote an amusing book. Rishi’s legacy? To ban smoking for young people while trailing Keir Starmer in the polls, as his Premiership goes up in smoke.

• Meanwhile Lib Dem leader Ed Davey backed the smoking ban — while his party continues to campaign for the ­legislation of cannabis, a drug that is causing long-term damage to young ­people all over the planet.

• Finally some good news, that overstuffed little haggis Nicola ­Sturgeon’s husband is charged by detectives investigating SNP finances. What an end to the week!

Tall order for Alison

High hopes for the new romance between TV’s bubbly Alison Hammond, 49, and her 6ft 10in, hunky ­Russian masseur David Putman, 26, above.

David’s friends say he’s not worried about the 23-year age difference. Nor am I — but Alison should note he lives with his uncle in Slough while she’s worth over a million. Maybe she should have a word with Vanessa Feltz before this relationship gets any hotter.

Target the terrorists 

Survivors and ­families of the ­victims of the Manchester Arena bombing are suing M15 under the Human Rights  Act claiming they could have prevented the tragedy.

But what about the hundreds of ­atrocities that M15 have prevented?

It’s a bit like victims of the Twin Towers 9/11 attack suing the U.S. Secret Service.

The only ones who should be in the dock are the perpetrators of these evil acts.

It isn't Mission Impossible, Suri 

Who knows what went on in the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes marriage that ended amid rumours they split over his ­Scientology faith.

It’s just sad to learn that their daughter Suri, now 18, above, has no contact with her father and wouldn’t even pick up the phone if he called. As I know, dads are especially important to daughters.

They help define our entire world view on men.

If I were Suri I’d call him. It’s never too late.

Lyrics and song titles of Taylor Swift’s new album have leaked. ‘I wish I could un-recall how we almost had it all’, is believed to be a reference to her six-year affair with Brit Joe Alwyn. I know it’s obligatory for women to worship at the altar of this self-made billionaire. But what’s empowering about a woman who only writes songs deriding the men she’s slept with and dumped? 

Donald Trump cries foul as his hush money trial begins with claims he had affairs with porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal.

The worst of it is that Trump’s ‘affair’ with McDougal allegedly took place while his wife Melania was pregnant with their first child.

Heroine of the week is headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh, who saw off in the High Court a Muslim pupil who claimed it was a breach of her human rights to ban prayers in her ­secular London school.

Astonishing that the girl claimed she felt persecuted — but plans to continue her education there.

Sainsbury’s sacked staffer Niamke Doffou when he didn’t pay for the ‘bags for life’ he used to pack his shopping after a night shift. Given some of their workers get as little as £8.81 per hour while CEO Simon Roberts pockets £4.95 million,

I don’t think I’ll rush to shop there soon.

Why accuse Sacha now, Rebel?

Actress Rebel Wilson says in her book Rebel Rising that Sacha Baron Cohen fat-shamed her on 2016 movie Grimsby and she felt ‘sexually harassed’ by him. What she says happened to her is awful but crikey, this is eight years later. Shouldn’t there be a statute of limitations on making claims so long after the event.