Prince Harry’s US visa application will remain sealed, a court judge decided on Monday, shortly after the Duke delivered an impactful speech at a UN climate event in New York.
In his memoir “Spare,” released in January, the Duke of Sussex disclosed his past drug use, which led a conservative think tank in Washington to question his eligibility for entry into the US in 2020.
US Judge Carl Nichols determined that Harry’s application will stay sealed, stating that “the public does not have a strong interest in disclosure of the Duke’s immigration records.”
He emphasized that, like any foreign national, Harry has a legitimate interest in keeping his immigration status private. The judge noted that Harry’s public comments regarding his travel and drug use did not negate his privacy interest in specific immigration-related information.
The Heritage Foundation filed the lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security (DHS) after a Freedom of Information Act request was denied, claiming there is “immense public interest” in the matter. Judge Nichols asserted that the public’s interest in disclosing Harry’s immigration records is outweighed by the Duke’s right to privacy.
In “Spare,” Harry mentioned trying cocaine, which he said had “no effect,” while noting that marijuana was beneficial for him.
The Heritage Foundation argued that US law generally deems individuals with a history of drug use inadmissible to the country. They claimed that the Duke’s prior drug use should have been disclosed in his visa application, raising concerns about the integrity of the US government.
DHS attorney John Bardo stated that no publicly available information indicates that Prince Harry has ever been convicted of a drug-related offense.
He further remarked that any insinuation of wrongdoing by the US government from the Heritage Foundation was “purely speculative.”
