A federal judge has ordered the release of Prince Harry's visa application documents by March 18, a move that could reveal whether the Duke of Sussex accurately disclosed his past drug use when applying to live in the United States. The ruling, issued by Judge Carl Nichols of Washington, comes after months of legal wrangling initiated by the conservative Heritage Foundation, which filed a lawsuit seeking access to the records under the Freedom of Information Act.
Judge Nichols initially denied full disclosure of the documents, citing privacy concerns. However, he later ruled that redacted versions must be made public, balancing public interest with Prince Harry's personal privacy. In court documents dated March 15, Nichols directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release the files no later than Tuesday, March 18.
The Heritage Foundation questioned whether Prince Harry may have lied on his U.S. visa application filed in 2020, arguing that the Duke's public admissions of past drug use-including cocaine, cannabis, magic mushrooms, and ayahuasca-conflict with visa requirements that ask applicants to disclose illegal drug use.
The foundation contends that if Prince Harry checked "no" on the relevant drug-use questions, he may have violated U.S. immigration laws. "The American people deserve to know whether Prince Harry was improperly granted special privileges," said Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at Heritage, urging transparency on the matter.
Prince Harry has openly discussed his drug use in multiple public forums, including his 2023 memoir Spare and the Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan. In Spare, he wrote that cocaine "didn't do anything for me" but described marijuana as more beneficial, saying, "Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me."
The Department of Homeland Security has previously argued against the release of Prince Harry's immigration records, stating that even public figures retain privacy rights regarding their visa and immigration status. "Even though he is a public figure, Prince Harry still maintains a privacy interest in these types of records," DHS attorneys wrote in earlier filings.
President Donald Trump weighed in on the controversy in February, telling the New York Post he would not support deportation proceedings against Prince Harry. "I'll leave him alone," Trump said, adding, "He's got enough problems with his wife."
During an interview with GB News in March, Trump commented further, stating, "No. We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action," when asked if Harry should receive preferential treatment.
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has previously been critical of Trump, calling him "divisive" and a "misogynist" during his first presidential campaign. Meghan publicly supported Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election and hinted at leaving the U.S. if Trump won.
DHS officials indicated in February they would release redacted portions of the visa application forms, withholding sensitive personal information. "Specifically, defendant would propose redacting all information in these items that would reveal information that the court has determined defendant can withhold," DHS lawyer John Bardo wrote in a filing.
