Prince Harry's U.S. Visa Drama, Explained
Prince Harry may have left the U.K. years ago, but his immigration status is being brought into the spotlight as questions surround his visa application. After announcing they would be stepping back from the royal family in 2020, Harry and Meghan Markle moved to sunny Los Angeles and haven't looked back since. The couple have been living in America, and Harry has been more than willing to share how much joy the move brought him. In February 2024, the royal even told ABC News he "loves every single day" of his life in the U.S. But now, he must face these new complications if he wants to officially carry on a citizen.
Harry and Meghan's move to the U.S. was much more difficult than just packing up some sentimental items and sending them on a flight to his new home. Every person who obtains a visa has to meet a certain set of requirements and avoid entanglements in any major crimes, as it can get their visa revoked, per Boundless. But, what does this have to do with Prince Harry?
Well, Harry's memoir "Spare" had no shortage of dramatic moments — including one regarding his previous drug use. Harry had admitted that in his life, he's tried cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelics, per The Independent. This confession has caused some complications with his visa, as a lawsuit claims the royal lied in his application.
A conservative think tank has sued Prince Harry
Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" has the royal in some legal trouble. After confessing that he took certain drugs, conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation is demanding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) release his visa application. According to Boundless, visa applications inquire about past drug use and any drug-related offenses. Because Harry admitted to taking drugs in the past in his memoir, the foundation is inquiring about his application, as they believe either Harry's hiding a shady side and lied on the documents or he received special treatment from officials, specifically from Joe Biden's administration, per The Telegraph (via Yahoo). Even Donald Trump has weighed in on the discourse.
John Bardo, a lawyer for the DHS, responded to the claims, saying Harry could have "exaggerated" his drug use in his memoir to sell more books, per The Daily Mail. However, The Heritage Foundation has continued to push for the documents to be unveiled, and now it's up to a judge to decide whether Harry's visa application will be made public.
In March 2024, Judge Carl Nichols ordered the DHS to fork over Harry's visa application to determine whether it should remain confidential, per The Telegraph. The agency has until March 21 to do so, and must explain "the particular harm that would arise from public disclosure of them [the visa application]." Harry has yet to publicly respond to the interest in his application as the public waits to see whether the documents will be released.