A U.S. court has mandated that Prince Harry's immigration records be made public by Tuesday, following a freedom of information request from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. This ruling stems from allegations that the Duke of Sussex failed to disclose previous drug use, which could have jeopardized his eligibility for a U.S. visa.
Prince Harry's Visa Records to be Publicly Disclosed Following Court Ruling
Prince Harry's Visa Records to be Publicly Disclosed Following Court Ruling
A judge's decision mandates the release of Prince Harry's immigration files amid controversy over past drug use.
District Judge Carl Nichols's ruling requires that the records be submitted by the specified date, coinciding with claims made in Harry's memoir, Spare, where he acknowledges trying cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms. In the memoir, published in January 2023, he mentions experimenting with cocaine at a young age and describes its effects as underwhelming. He highlights how marijuana, in contrast, provided him some relief.
The issues at play are significant, as U.S. visa application forms explicitly inquire about past and present drug use—admissions can lead to outright denials of visa applications. The Heritage Foundation's case argues that Prince Harry misled immigration authorities, which could potentially result in a lifetime ban from the U.S.
This ruling follows a previous decision by the same judge in 2024, who determined that there wasn't enough public interest to disclose Harry’s immigration details. The Heritage Foundation contested this, resulting in the current ruling. Since relocating to the U.S. in 2020 with wife Meghan Markle after stepping down from royal duties, it remains unclear what visa Harry holds, while Meghan is a U.S. citizen.
Interestingly, comments from former President Donald Trump in February further complicated matters, as he stated he wouldn’t pursue any deportation against Harry, suggesting the prince has “enough problems” due to Meghan, whom Trump has previously critiqued as a “misogynist.” As this situation unfolds, both the White House and the Duke's office have yet to provide any commentary on the matter.
The issues at play are significant, as U.S. visa application forms explicitly inquire about past and present drug use—admissions can lead to outright denials of visa applications. The Heritage Foundation's case argues that Prince Harry misled immigration authorities, which could potentially result in a lifetime ban from the U.S.
This ruling follows a previous decision by the same judge in 2024, who determined that there wasn't enough public interest to disclose Harry’s immigration details. The Heritage Foundation contested this, resulting in the current ruling. Since relocating to the U.S. in 2020 with wife Meghan Markle after stepping down from royal duties, it remains unclear what visa Harry holds, while Meghan is a U.S. citizen.
Interestingly, comments from former President Donald Trump in February further complicated matters, as he stated he wouldn’t pursue any deportation against Harry, suggesting the prince has “enough problems” due to Meghan, whom Trump has previously critiqued as a “misogynist.” As this situation unfolds, both the White House and the Duke's office have yet to provide any commentary on the matter.
