Prince Harry's place in the United States appears to be secure as long as Joe Biden remains president, according to recent developments in an ongoing court case scrutinizing the Duke of Sussex's US visa. The Biden administration's lawyers have backed a statement from the US ambassador to the UK, Jane Hartley, suggesting that the president would not seek to deport the royal, despite questions surrounding his visa application and past drug use.
The Duke of Sussex, who moved to the US with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020, has been facing court scrutiny over his US residency after admitting to taking illegal drugs in his memoir, "Spare." The conservative think tank Heritage Foundation has been suing the US government in an attempt to force the Department of Homeland Security to release Harry's visa records, arguing that a history of drug use would normally disqualify an applicant from being granted residence.
However, during a Sky News interview, Ambassador Hartley was asked whether deportation was a realistic prospect for Prince Harry. She responded, "Well, it's not going to happen in the Biden administration." The Heritage Foundation argued that these "extraordinary" remarks amounted to confirmation that the Duke of Sussex would not be deported, "regardless of future circumstances."
According to Newsweek, a court filing reveals that the Department for Homeland Security defended Hartley's comments, stating that her remark "suggests no government impropriety." The filing reads, "Contrary to [Heritage's] representations, Hartley's comments did not reveal any non-public information regarding the Duke's status, and Hartley did not state that that Duke would not be deported 'regardless of future circumstances.'"
This development comes as a boost to Prince Harry, with the Biden administration consistently doubling down on its position that nothing untoward has taken place and that there is no need for the release of his private information. The administration has sought to have the case thrown out, despite Heritage's argument that the public has a right to know whether Harry was given favorable treatment by immigration officials.
The ongoing court case has reportedly left Prince Harry "horribly stressed," according to royal commentator and writer Tom Quinn. "He could even be asked to leave the country if what he said on his immigration forms fails to match his claims in Spare," Quinn told The Mirror. "According to the couple's friends, Harry is horribly stressed but as ever he has hired the best lawyers money can buy."
The visa controversy has also drawn attention from former US President Donald Trump, who hinted at the possibility of deporting Prince Harry if he were to be re-elected. In an interview with GB News, Trump said, "We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action."
As the court case continues, with a judge recently decreeing that the review of Harry's visa documents will occur behind closed doors, the Duke of Sussex's future in the United States remains a topic of interest. However, the Biden administration's support, as evidenced by the recent court filing and Ambassador Hartley's comments, suggests that Prince Harry's place in the country is secure for the time being.
