Prince Harry may face a US visa court fight after his drug revelations in his memoir ‘Spare’. Picture: Matt Dunham/Pool via Reuters
Prince Harry may face a US visa court fight after his drug revelations in his memoir ‘Spare’.
The US government could be forced to unseal the 38-year-old’s visa application in court after a think tank has been looking to confirm the Duke of Sussex’s use of cocaine, marijuana, and magic mushrooms was correctly detailed on his visa application.
A federal judge will hear the case on June 6, Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation said.
Gardiner, formerly an aide to the late prime minister Margaret Thatcher, tweeted on Tuesday: “Prince Harry immigration records case will be held in Washington, DC Federal Court in front of a US Federal Judge.”
In his memoir, Harry candidly confessed to using cocaine and cannabis, as well as consuming magic mushroom chocolates at a party hosted by “Friends” actress Courteney Cox, 58, in 2016.
The book’s release and the media frenzy prompted the Heritage Foundation to demand the release of Harry’s visa application through a Freedom of Information request, which the government has so far denied.
As part of the visa application process, immigrants seeking entry or permanent residence in the US are required to disclose their history of drug use.
According to US immigration laws, individuals deemed “drug abusers” are classified as “inadmissible”, although immigration officials have discretion to waive these rules on a case-by-case basis.
The Heritage Foundation’s pursuit of Harry’s immigration records aims to uncover what he revealed to the authorities during his application, whether a waiver was granted, and who made the decision.
The think tank said: “The American people deserve answers to the serious questions raised by the evidence. Did (the) DHS (Department of Homeland Security), in fact, turn a blind eye, show favouritism, or fail to appropriately address any potential false statements by Prince Harry?”
Following their decision to step down as working members of the Royal Family, Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 41, moved to Los Angeles in March 2020.
In ‘Spare’, Harry shared his experiences with cannabis and magic mushrooms, acknowledging he used cocaine to “feel different”.
He described his experimentation as not particularly enjoyable but driven by a desire for escape.
If it is found Harry, who has son Archie, 4, and 23-month-old Lilibet with Meghan, provided false information about drug use on his immigration forms, he could potentially face deportation and the loss of his US residency status.