Judge mandates release of Prince Harry's visa files amid drug use allegations

In the United States, a federal court has ruled that documents related to Prince Harry's immigration status must be publicly disclosed by March 18, 2025. This ruling stems from a Freedom of Information Act request made by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that has questioned whether Prince Harry concealed his past illegal drug use when applying for his US visa in 2020. The judge, Carl Nichols, established that there appears to be substantial public interest in the materials due to statements made by Prince Harry in his memoir, where he discussed drug use, including cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms. The initial ruling on September 2024 by Nichols suggested that the public's interest in seeing the documents was not significant. However, following the Heritage Foundation's insistence, the judge ordered the release of the files, including redactions to protect certain information. The Department of Homeland Security had previously denied requests for these documents but agreed to comply following the renewed legal challenge. Prince Harry, alongside Meghan Markle, moved to the United States from Canada in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties. Their relocation raised questions around immigration statutes, especially with Harry's admissions of drug use in his autobiography, released in January 2023. Within the memoir, he stated that cocaine didn't have a significant effect on him, while he perceived marijuana as beneficial. The Heritage Foundation argues that if Harry failed to disclose this drug history on his visa application, it could indicate preferential treatment and undermine the integrity of US immigration practices. The judge's decision to disclose the immigration records could lead to scrutiny of how Prince Harry's application was handled, potentially revealing the exact visa type he obtained. Speculations suggest he might have received an 'A-1 Head of State' visa, which may have fewer restrictions, allowing for more leniency than typical visas granted to ordinary citizens. The upcoming release of these documents could have significant implications not only for the Duke of Sussex but also for public trust in immigration policies, especially as former President Donald Trump expressed that no one should receive special privileges concerning their immigration status.