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Prince Harry’s US visa application seized by judge

Prince Harry is facing more headaches over his alleged past drug use, while a royal expert says there’s “no way back” for Meghan Markle and Princess Catherine.

Prince Harry’s US visa application has been handed over to a judge after President Joe Biden’s administration lawyers confirmed they had complied with a court order.

The Duke of Sussex’s drug use is the subject of a high-profile lawsuit brought by The Heritage Foundation in Washington DC..

Harry had been fighting to stop the release of the documents after concerns were raised over his application.

The Duke of Sussex claimed in his controversial memoir Spare that he had taken cocaine, marijuana, and magic mushrooms during his life.

The Heritage Foundation argued that releasing the documents will prove whether the prince lied about his past drug use on his visa application.

Prince Harry’s alleged past drug use is under the microscope in the US. Picture: AFP
Prince Harry’s alleged past drug use is under the microscope in the US. Picture: AFP

They say that if Harry didn’t tell the truth, he could be in breach of US federal law and should lose his immigration status.

US President Joe Biden’s lawyers have confirmed they have complied with a court order to move it onto the next step, according to The Sun.

“Defendant the US Department of Homeland Security respectfully informs the court that it has complied with the court’s March 7, 2024, order by submitting declarations with attachments for ex parte in camera [in private] review,” the court filing reads.

It comes after lawyers for the US government argued that Harry’s drug claims in the book “is not proof” he actually took them.

Prince Harry drinks a beer at the Rugby World Cup in Sydney in 2003. The prince has spoken about his younger “partying” days. Picture: Supplied
Prince Harry drinks a beer at the Rugby World Cup in Sydney in 2003. The prince has spoken about his younger “partying” days. Picture: Supplied

And the Department for Homeland Security, which oversees immigration, said making Harry’s documents public would breach his privacy.

But Judge Carl Nichols asked officials to hand over the documents saying their privacy argument was “insufficiently detailed”.

The Heritage Foundation’s lawyer Samuel Dewey earlier accused the US government of “providing special treatment to celebrities” to enter the US.

Lawyers for the Biden administration rejected the allegation of special treatment.

Prince Harry and Prince William were known as the “party princes” during their younger days. Picture: AFP
Prince Harry and Prince William were known as the “party princes” during their younger days. Picture: AFP

Last month Donald Trump waded into the controversy suggesting he might kick the Duke out of the US if he wins a second term.

The former President said he “wouldn’t protect” Harry because he had “betrayed the Queen”.

Mr Trump said if he wins the election in November then Harry “would be on his own”.

MEGHAN ‘DOESN’T FEEL GUILT’ ABOUT ‘POISONOUS’ KATE FALLOUT

Royal fans hoping for a reconciliation between the Prince and Princess of Wales and the US-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be left disappointed, a royal expert has claimed, saying there’s “no way back” for the former “fab four”.

Royal expert Tom Quinn claims the divide is particularly stark between Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle, saying that the Duchess of Sussex “doesn’t feel any guilt” about distancing herself from her sister-in-law and thinks she should have supported her more when she was in the UK.

Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle were all smiles in 2018. Picture: Getty Images
Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle were all smiles in 2018. Picture: Getty Images

“Megan doesn’t feel guilty about Kate, because she feels that Kate should’ve been the one person in the royal family to back her against every difficulty,” Quinn told The Mirror.

“Apart from anything else, Meghan knew Kate was an outsider, so she just couldn’t understand why Kate always toed the royal line rather than supporting her, Meghan, the other outsider.”

When Princess Catherine publicly revealed her cancer diagnosis, royal commentators thought it could be the perfect way to unite the warring family and fix their ongoing rift – particularly with King Charles’ health issues, too.

The four appear tense during an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2018. Picture: Getty Images
The four appear tense during an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2018. Picture: Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a brief statement following Princess Catherine’s cancer announcement, but Quinn says it isn’t enough to mend the relationship.

“Kate’s cancer diagnosis has been a real shock for Meghan, but she can see no way to patch up the relationship simply because it has become so poisonous,” he said.

“She also doesn’t want people saying that she is trying to make things up with Kate just because Kate is ill. Meghan still feels Kate was in the wrong and should apologise before they try to build bridges.”

Meghan Markle has not returned to Britain since the Queen’s funeral in 2022. Picture: Getty Images
Meghan Markle has not returned to Britain since the Queen’s funeral in 2022. Picture: Getty Images

The royal expert also claimed that Harry is stuck in the middle of Meghan and his sister-in-law.

He added that the Duke of Sussex losing his close friendship with Catherine, who he once referred to as “the sister I never had”, is his “second great loss after his mother”.

It is claimed that when the Wales’ first met Meghan in 2016, they didn’t get off to a great start.

“In truth, there had been a degree of frisson almost as soon as Meghan officially arrived on the royal scene in 2016 to a lukewarm reception from ‘formal’ William and Kate, who as well as finding her ‘a little full on’, had no idea she would be a keeper, having met a succession of Harry’s girlfriends,” royal expert Camilla Tominey wrote.

The Sussexes have been largely estranged from the royal family for the past four years. Picture: AFP
The Sussexes have been largely estranged from the royal family for the past four years. Picture: AFP

While Harry wrote in his memoir Spare that when he brought the former actress to meet his brother and sister-in-law, Catherine remained outside playing with the children instead of coming to greet her.

It was later claimed that Meghan left Catherine in tears over her demands for Princess Charlotte’s dress in the run-up to her royal wedding in 2018.

But, in an explosive tell-all chat with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan revealed it was Catherine that made her cry just days before her wedding.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from the royal family four years ago and have since made a number of shocking allegations about the royals.

A royal expert has claimed the rift between Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle is not fixable. Picture: WireImage
A royal expert has claimed the rift between Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle is not fixable. Picture: WireImage

Their relationship has only worsened after the Sussexes made a number of accusations against the royal family in their Netflix docuseries.

“The best way of resolving the rift, if it is to be resolved, is to do it privately,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said.

“With Catherine and the King’s illness – that is an enormous game changer even when there are deep family rifts.

The four were brought back together after the Queen’s death. Picture: Getty Images
The four were brought back together after the Queen’s death. Picture: Getty Images

“The two very senior members of the royal family, are very, are seriously ill, and you can’t really predict what’s going to happen.

“So, as I say, the Sussexes do spring surprises. This has happened before, and you never know what might happen in the coming weeks or months.

“But I don’t think Harry would do anything without Megan’s consent.”

This follows speculation the Wales’ extended an olive branch to the Sussexes, inviting them to Britain with kids Archie, four, and Lilibet, two.

But Fitzwilliams said theirs little chance of a thawing in tensions, describing the feud between The Wales’ and Sussexes as “one of the most public royal rifts that has ever been”.

Originally published as Prince Harry’s US visa application seized by judge

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Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/poisonous-meghan-kate-fallout-means-no-way-back/news-story/46dfda31697795723548b4792fc881e5