The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has elected to maintain the confidentiality of Prince Harry's visa application details, citing the royal's right to privacy. This decision persists even amidst claims that the prince might have misrepresented his past substance use in the application, a detail that could have hindered his visa approval.
The conservative think-tank, the Heritage Foundation, had launched a second unsuccessful attempt to extract these details through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The organization sought to probe whether the Duke of Sussex was truthful about his acknowledged drug use, as recorded in his memoir, "Spare."
The DHS, however, has maintained that Prince Harry's status as a public figure does not inherently waive his right to privacy. The agency has consequently refused to either acknowledge or deny the existence of Prince Harry's immigration documentation.
Nile Gardiner, a Heritage Foundation representative, expressed his disappointment at the government's decision. He said, "The Department of Homeland Security's efforts to stonewall the Heritage Foundation's Freedom of Information request are unacceptable, and we will be contesting their position," accusing the Biden administration of a lack of transparency.
In "Spare," and the Netflix documentary "Harry & Meghan," the Duke openly admitted to prior substance use. This includes using cocaine at age 17 during his boarding school days and experimenting with mushrooms at the house of Friends star, Courteney Cox. Further, in the Apple TV+ series "The Me You Can't See," Prince Harry divulged he had often turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with his mental health struggles.
Despite the Heritage Foundation's legal maneuvers, including court intervention to expedite the FOIA request response, Judge Carl Nichols refused to issue an injunction. However, he encouraged the DHS to offer a definitive response to the request.
As the saga unfolds, the Duke, who relocated to the US with Meghan Markle after stepping back from royal duties in 2020, has remained silent on the issue. As it stands, his immigration status and the intricacies surrounding it remain concealed, further fueling speculation and controversy.
