Prince Harry warned Donald Trump could 'seek vengeance' amid 'worrying' visa news
Harry's US visa status may be in danger
Prince Harry is facing growing uncertainty over his US visa status, with a judge hinting that sealed documents from his application could be made public.
American think tank The Heritage Foundation is challenging whether Prince Harry, 40, properly disclosed his past drug use when applying for a US visa, and wants the documents made public. It also argues that Harry shouldn’t have received his visa due to his past drug use – something Harry admitted in his 2023 memoir Spare.
With Donald Trump, 78, now in power, royal experts warn that the Duke of Sussex could face consequences if he is found to have withheld information on his application.
Trump himself previously warned that Harry could face consequences if he lied.
Prince Harry visa latest
During a Washington D.C. hearing this week, the judge overseeing the case signalled that there could be some level of disclosure.
US judge Carl Nichols said he wanted “maximum disclosure as long as it doesn’t violate privacy”.
The judge also requested redaction proposals from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This means he can weigh up whether a release should be granted.
This ruling raises new concerns for Prince Harry, who openly admitted to past drug use in his memoir Spare.
Under US immigration law, applicants who admit to illegal drug use can be refused entry.
Trump has previously taken aim at Harry and Meghan Markle. Royal commentators now suggest that Trump’s return to the White House could spell trouble for the duke.
Duke of Sussex warned Trump could ‘seek vengeance’
“There’s no doubt that President Trump’s return to the White House means that this is squeaky bum time for Harry,” royal commentator Jennie Bond told the Mirror.
“The president is a man who seems to have a strategy of making a series of threats – and sometimes he acts on them. In the past he has said that Harry is on his own and has criticised him for ‘betraying’ the late queen. So the fact the judge has now cast a certain amount of doubt over whether his visa application can remain private must be worrying for the prince.”
He’s going to have to make sure he behaves himself.
Trump has previously indicated that Harry wouldn’t receive special treatment if his visa application came into question. Jennie warned that Trump may “seek vengeance” if he perceives Harry and Meghan as a threat or source of criticism.
“He’s going to have to make sure he behaves himself and that he and Meghan don’t stir up any trouble for Trump or openly criticise him,” she continued. “The president is a man who might well seek vengeance.”
Visa news could be ‘disturbing read’ for Harry and Meghan
The latest legal ruling raises new questions about Harry’s status in the US.
Jennie explained that while there is still room for Harry’s records to remain private, the judge’s remarks are the first legal indication that some details may be disclosed.
She said that must make “disturbing reading for Harry and Meghan”.
She added that Harry may now regret the level of honesty in his memoir.
Harry and Meghan should ‘keep their nerve’ and ‘hope for the best’
The Heritage Foundation has argued that US immigration law “generally renders such a person inadmissible” if they have used illegal drugs.
The lawsuit also claims that transparency is essential due to the “immense public interest” in Harry’s case.
However, DHS lawyer John Bardo noted that there is no evidence of wrongdoing.
“No publicly available information shows that Prince Harry was ever convicted for a drug-related offense,” he confirmed. He called the claims from The Heritage Foundation “purely speculative”.
As legal proceedings continue, the pressure on Harry is mounting – especially with Trump’s return to power.
For now, royal experts believe Harry and Meghan will need to tread carefully, particularly when publicly discussing US politics or Trump himself.
Jennie concluded her statements saying the couple “just have to keep their nerve now and hope for the best”.
Read more: How Meghan Markle ‘dominated’ Prince Harry in ‘awkward’ appearance: ‘Absolutely absurd’
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