Major update in Prince Harry’s US visa ‘drugs’ saga as judge makes ruling over documents

There’s been a significant development after a US think tank launched a legal battle to have Harry’s visa application made public.

IN LONDON

Prince Harry’s visa documents will remain sealed despite his admission that he took drugs in his tell-all memoir.

A judge in the US made the ruling after a conservative think tank questioned why he was allowed into the country back in 2020, given that the application includes questions about drug use, and he publicly revealed in Spare that he’d previously taken cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.

In explaining his decision, which came down after a five-month review, Judge Carl Nichols said that the Duke of Sussex had a “reasonable privacy interest” in relation to the immigration paperwork.

Harry’s immigration documents will not be released. Picture: Adrian Dennis/AFP

The Heritage Foundation, who claimed Harry possibly lied in the drugs section of his application, had been suing the Department of Homeland Security after it denied a Freedom of Information request on the royal’s files.

Harry became a US resident back in 2020 after quitting official duties and relocating to California with his American wife, Meghan Markle.

But “the public does not have a strong interest in disclosure of the duke’s immigration records”, Judge Nichols said in his ruling.

“Like any foreign national, the duke has a legitimate privacy interest in his immigration status.

“And the duke’s public statements about his travel and drug use did not disclose, and therefore did not eliminate his interest in keeping private, specific information regarding his immigration status, applications, or other materials.”

Harry is currently in NYC on a solo visit, attending a number of engagements. Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP

He spoke during a summit to the recipients of The Diana Award. Picture: John Lamparski/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Harry is currently in the midst of a high-profile solo visit to New York City as part of the UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week.

On Monday, he took the stage during the Concordia Annual Summit to discuss mental health and climate change with two young winners of a legacy award given in his late mother’s memory.

The duke, who said Diana would be “proud” of the honorees, was asked during the panel what gives him hope for the future, and pointed to the work of the “younger generation”.

“The courage you have gives me hope,” Harry told the award recipients in an emotional moment.

“Everyone of us needs courage to move the dial in this world, probably more than ever. We need to listen and act on what you say because it is your future that will be stolen and that is unacceptable.”

While in Manhattan, Harry is also set to meet with conservation group African Parks, landmine charity The Halo Trust and Travalyst.

Next week he is again scheduled to return to London by himself to take part in the annual WellChild Awards, an organisation he has been associated with for 16 years. The Duchess of Sussex will skip the event for the second time in a row.

However, it will be Harry’s second visit back to his home country in just a matter of weeks after he flew in for his uncle Lord Robert Fellowes’ funeral last month.