Prince Harry Faces Legal Battle as Heritage Foundation Questions U.S. Visa After Memoir Revelations
Prince Harry is facing a potential new legal challenge concerning his U.S. visa, following admissions made in his memoir Spare. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, is calling for the reopening of a lawsuit aimed at uncovering whether the Duke of Sussex received preferential treatment when obtaining his visa due to his royal status, according to The Express.
The Heritage Foundation previously filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking access to Prince Harry’s visa records, but the case was terminated. Now, the think tank is reigniting the issue, particularly after Harry’s open discussion of past drug use in Spare, including cannabis, cocaine, magic mushrooms, and ayahuasca. The foundation argues that such admissions should have disqualified him from entering the U.S.
In a recent motion, the Heritage Foundation has asked to “vacate” a prior court ruling and unseal any private communications between the DHS and the court. The group believes that these records could reveal whether Harry was granted special treatment, and they are raising concerns about transparency. The think tank cites worries over alleged secret communications between the Biden administration and the presiding judge.
The Foundation’s legal team argues that these private dealings have undermined their ability to effectively argue the case, claiming that actions taken to protect Harry’s privacy have “severely compromised [Heritage’s] ability to prepare arguments on appeal.” They assert that there is potential evidence of “agency bad faith” in how Harry’s immigration case has been handled.
In a court filing obtained by Newsweek, the Foundation urges a reevaluation of the prior ruling and calls for the unsealing of all ex parte correspondence related to the case. Their legal representatives argue that the current secrecy surrounding the situation has raised serious concerns about the fairness and legality of the process.
This legal battle comes after Harry’s memoir Spare was released last year, in which he spoke candidly about his personal struggles and past experiences with drug use. While his transparency was lauded by some, it has also triggered this renewed legal scrutiny over whether those admissions should have affected his visa eligibility.
As this issue resurfaces, it raises new questions about Prince Harry’s immigration status in the U.S. and whether his royal connections influenced his ability to reside there.