US Government rules Prince Harry’s visa answers about drugs should stay secret

Lawyers for the US Department of Homeland Security have said Prince Harry’s visa answers to drug use should be “private”.

Prince Harry’s responses on his US visa application with regards to drug use should be considered “private personal information”, lawyers for the US Department of Homeland Security said.

The LA-based royal has come under scrutiny over whether he lied to enter the US

after admitting to using cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in his memoir Spare.

The admission prompted a conservative American think tank, The Heritage Foundation, to launch a legal challenge to obtain his visa application after a Freedom of Information request was rejected.

However lawyers for the DHS said the Heritage Foundation “have not demonstrated possible government misconduct or any other public interest that would overcome Prince Harry’s privacy interest in these records”, according to the UK Express.

The DHS also said despite the duke being a “public official” in the UK, he is “not a public official in the United States”.

Prince Harry made admissions to drug use in his memoir, Spare. Picture: Getty Images for Project Healthy Minds

The Express reports in submissions to the court, lawyers said DHS had “provided the maximum amount of information that it can provide regarding the records it possesses” without revealing Harry’s immigration status.

The Heritage Foundation’s lawsuit said that US law “generally renders such a person inadmissible for entry” to the country.

In the DHS’s response to the legal claim, they said: “Much like health, financial, or employment information, a person’s immigration information is private personal information.

“If the court accepts Plaintiffs’ arguments, the Government would need to reveal confidential immigration information about Prince Harry, a result the court should not adopt.”

Application forms for US visas specifically ask about current and past drug use.

Drug use can lead to non-immigrant and immigrant visa applications being rejected.

It is not clear what visa Harry used to enter the US.

CHARLES LEADS NATIONAL SILENCE

King Charles led an emotional two-minute silence at the Remembrance Day service 24 hours after violent protests by the memorial.

The King, 74, led the solemn service with Prince William at his side in peaceful scenes in central London uniting the nation to honour fallen soldiers who served in both wars for Britain.

The service passed smoothly without disruption after protests erupted across central London on Saturday with right wing demonstrators hurling missiles and fireworks at police chanting “England till I die” and “Let us through”.

King Charles III followed by Prince William arriving for the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in London. Picture: AFP

On Sunday, the king, along with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer, laid wreaths on the Cenotaph shortly after the nation fell silent at 11am local time.

Prince William and representatives of state including Australian High Commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith laid floral tributes at the foot of the cenotaph, while Princess Catherine and Queen Camilla looked on from a balcony.

Queen Camilla and Catherine during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph. Picture: Getty Images

An equerry laid a wreath on behalf of the Queen, who was then proceeded by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal.

A long line of armed forces was seen lining Downing Street down past Horse Guards Parade as wreaths of poppies were taken inside.

Spectators clapped and cheers as the group of 10,000 veterans and 800 armed forces, marched along in the rain as Massed Bands and Pipers played.

Prince William, Prince of Wales, King Charles III and Princess Anne, Princess Royal during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph. Picture: Getty Images

It was revealed the late Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent did not turn up to the service due to “episodic mobility issues”.

Princess Catherine was spotted wearing a cluster of three poppies during the Remembrance Service, whereas Queen Camilla wore only one poppy.

Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the Remembrance Sunday, to remember servicemen and women who have fallen in the line of duty since WWI. Picture: AFP

The significance behind the gesture is thought to be in honour of family members who have served and died in wars.

Catherine’s great-grandmother had three brothers who were killed in action during WWI and the Princess viewed letters from her ancestors during a poignant visit to the Imperial War Museum in 2018, according to Hello! magazine.

Remembrance Sunday is an annual commemoration held on the closest Sunday to Armistice Day, November 11, the anniversary of the end of the First World War to remember servicemen and women who have fallen in the line of duty since WWI.

It comes after the march on Armistice Day saw hundreds of thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters march through London calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war in Gaza.

The Metropolitan Police on Saturday arrested 126 counter-protesters attempting to break up the pro-Palestine marches which attracted 300,000 demonstrators.

Police have also launched a probe after Jewish families leaving a north London synagogue were said to have been targeted by pro-Palestine activists.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism confirmed it was “aware” of the Jewish families “being targeted on their way out of synagogue”.

Originally published as US Government rules Prince Harry’s visa answers about drugs should stay secret