Topline
A push from a conservative think tank to release the U.S. visa application of Britain’s Prince Harry to the public after he admitted to illegal drug use in his memoir—which can lead to applications being rejected—was denied this week by a judge who said his privacy outweighed the public’s interest in his personal documents.
Prince Harry after the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, … [+]
Key Facts
Judge Carl Nichols, a district court judge for the District of Columbia, ruled late Monday that “the public does not have a strong interest in disclosure of the duke’s immigration records” and the visa application of the British royal, who now lives in California, would therefore remain private.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank and one of the groups behind the controversial Project 2025 plan, last year sued the Department of Homeland Security over concerns the Biden administration did not appropriately vet the prince’s application for a visa considering the illegal drug use he admitted to in his memoir, “Spare,” which was released last January.
The youngest son of King Charles III and the late Princess Diana wrote in the book that he has used marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic drugs.
The Foundation said the Biden administration could have failed to follow its own protocol when it granted Harry a visa if the prince admitted to the drug use on the application—as is required—and former President Donald Trump later suggested Harry could be deported if it was discovered he did not report the use and lied on his application.
Lawyers for the Biden administration argued the stories told in the memoir aren’t “proof” that Harry took drugs and that he could have embellished reality to “sell books.”
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Key Background
In February, Prince Harry said he has considered becoming an American citizen after spending four “amazing” years in California. Harry moved to the West Coast in 2020 with his wife Meghan Markle and lives there with his two children, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie, all of whom are American citizens. If he did move to become an American citizen, he would likely have to renounce his title as the Duke of Sussex.
Tangent
U.S. visa applications generally require applicants to disclose past drug use in their pursuit of a visa or green card. Such use does not automatically disqualify an applicant, but it is a factor that is considered and the severity of the use, type of drug involved and any drug-related criminal history is weighed in the decision-making process. Applicants who are thought to be drug abusers or addicts are inadmissible under U.S. immigration policy, unless their addiction is in remission.
