Prince Harry scored a subtle win in his US Visa application but an opposing group stands firm in their decision to challenge the court ruling. Since relocating to the United States in 2020 following his step back from royal duties, the Duke of Sussex’s immigration status has sparked public interest. This widespread interest reached its peak following the 2023 release of the memoir, Spare, where the royal admitted to using illicit substances like cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms, and marijuana during his troubled phase. His admission led to questions about whether or not Harry lied about his drug use during his visa application to secure his US residency.
Donald Trump’s interest in Prince Harry’s US visa application made the case further drag on, with the former POTUS declaring his intentions to have the DUke deported next year. Despite the resurrected public interest and widespread demand, authorities have failed to make details of the application public. This led the American think tank group, The Heritage Foundation to take legal actions against the US government, attempting to force their hand.
Prince Harry Treated Just Like ‘Any Foreign National’ During US Visa Application
On Monday, US judge Carl Nichols gave a final ruling regarding the case, declaring Prince Harry’s US visa application would continue to remain private. The judge’s ruling doubled down on the Duke’s rights to have “legitimate privacy interest” whether or not he was a public figure. Harry’s status as a royal makes no difference either, as this ruling applies to him, as it would “any foreign national.” The judge ruled,
“Like any foreign national, the Duke has a legitimate privacy interest in his immigration status.”
The judge also reiterated that the public has no “strong interest” in the disclosure of Prince Harry’s immigration records. However, The Heritage Foundation begs to differ. In a statement to Newsweek, the executive director of the group’s Oversight Project kicked against the court’s ruling, noting it made Harry’s visa application more suspicious. He noted,
“The Prince Harry scandal just got a lot more suspicious. While our case is far from over as we explore appeal, I’d say that these very curious redactions point to something serious afoot.”
Howell also referenced Donald Trump’s take on Prince Harry’s US visa application in the wake of the questionable admissions in Spare. Citing Trump’s claims, the think tank exec suggested the government attempted to bend the rules for Harry, trampling on the mandate to give Americans a secure immigration system that makes no exemptions for high-profile immigrants. He noted,
“It certainly appears that Harry was given special treatment… and now we know it for something so serious that it involves extensive redactions. Americans will know the full story soon enough… Perhaps, Mr and Mrs Markle will tell us what’s beneath the redactions on their next Netflix special.”
This comes as Prince Harry makes yet another high-profile trip to promote his philanthropic work. The 40-year-old touched down in New York this week to honor a series of engagements in the state, including a guest appearance at The Diana Awards in honor of his late mom Princess Diana. Harry gave a heartfelt speech at the event, honoring the achievements of young people who have significantly impacted the lives of others in their own subtle ways. This marks the Duke’s third high-profile trip this year, having visited Nigeria and Colombia earlier to promote his and Meghan Markles’ philanthropic endeavors.
