Thinktank’s Legal Request Over Drug Use Allegations Leads to Partial Disclosure
Court documents related to Prince Harry’s US visa application have been made public in a heavily redacted format, ensuring his exact immigration status remains undisclosed due to concerns over potential harassment.
The release follows a legal request by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative US thinktank, which sought access to the Duke of Sussex’s visa records. The organisation questioned whether Harry had disclosed past drug use—detailed in his memoir Spare—which could have affected his eligibility for a US visa.
US visa applicants must disclose past or present drug use, and such admissions can lead to a rejection. However, immigration officials have discretion when evaluating applications. While the Heritage Foundation argued there was public interest in revealing whether Harry received preferential treatment, the court ruled that the request did not demonstrate sufficient justification for full disclosure.
The documents state: “To release his exact status could subject him to reasonably foreseeable harm in the form of harassment as well as unwanted contact by the media and others.” They further highlight that privacy concerns outweigh the claims of public interest presented by the plaintiffs.
Prince Harry’s memoir includes accounts of past drug use, mentioning that he experimented with cocaine at 17 and regularly used marijuana while attending Eton. He also described experiences with hallucinogenic substances, including magic mushrooms, during social events in California.
Harry and Meghan relocated to California in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties and leaving the UK.
