Whatever you think of Prince Harry – and I know he has both supporters and detractors – there are some things we can all agree on. He is a wealthy man from a remarkably privileged background and almost universal fame.
I have no objection to that and personally have nothing against him.
But at The Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom in Washington DC, America’s most prominent conservative think tank, our goal is to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) treats everyone – prince or commoner – equally as it’s about getting permission to legally enter the US.
Prince Harry entered America in March 2020 without any apparent problem and has settled in Montecito, California, with his wife Meghan and their two children.
However, in his book Spare, published last year, he extensively acknowledged that there were elements of drug crime, both in the US and elsewhere. He admitted to using cocaine, cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms. He has since spoken about using the hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca.
Prince Harry has publicly admitted to extensive illegal drug use, including cocaine, cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms
However, in his book Spare, published last year, he extensively acknowledged that there were elements of drug crime, both in the US and elsewhere, and that US immigration rules take a strong stance against illegal drug use.
Prince Harry entered America in March 2020 without any apparent problem and has settled in Montecito, California, with his wife Meghan and their two children
What does this have to do with me or my organization, you may ask?
Founded by Baroness Thatcher in 2006, the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom is part of the Heritage Foundation, which has approximately 500,000 members and has been the leading think tank in Washington calling for robust enforcement of U.S. immigration laws and highlighting the failure of condemned US immigration laws. Biden administration to secure America’s borders.
When I worked for Baroness Thatcher as a foreign policy officer in London from 2000 to 2002, it was her firm belief that both the US and Britain must defend and control their borders and apply the rule of law to protect them.
That’s why we’re involved in a lawsuit with DHS, the agency responsible for US immigration, to release Prince Harry’s visa application. Officials rejected our freedom of information request and the matter is now in the hands of a judge. I have no doubt that my former boss would have supported our fight to determine whether Harry received preferential treatment.
Agree or disagree, America is taking a strong stand against illegal drug use. Anyone applying to live and work in the U.S. must answer the question, “Have you ever violated, or been involved in a conspiracy to violate, any law regarding controlled substances?”
Once again, Harry has publicly admitted to extensive illegal drug use. What do we indicate this? That Harry appears to have received special treatment: DHS looked the other way if the Prince answered truthfully, or it looked the other way if the Prince lied on his visa application. Both actions would be wrong.
If he were to tell the truth about the drug use outlined in Spare, he would be barred from entering the country – full stop – unless he entered the country on a visa that does not allow permanent residence in the US and was given a special waiver, which takes a long time.
But Harry decided to move to the US and arrived within two weeks without any visible problems.
Prince Harry sat in the audience during the ‘women in media’ session at the SXSW Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas on March 8, 2024
At the event, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was one of the keynote speakers and discussed her experiences with the media while pregnant with her two children Archie and Lilibet.
You would expect Harry’s immigration application to contain the same detailed description of drug use as his book. Any omission would be an extremely serious matter.
Heritage’s expert witness made it clear to the court that if a hypothetical “normal” person were to lie on such a scale and publish a book — which some claim glorifies illegal drug use — he or she would face immediate and tough actions from DHS. They may be deported.
A source close to Harry has said he was ‘truthful’ about his application, and there is no evidence he provided false information. What matters is how DHS acted. Is DHS playing favourite?
The issue is bigger than one person – it’s about whether the US government follows the law.
Most Americans don’t like the idea of celebrities being treated differently than anyone else, and Harry’s fame and profile make this case the ideal window into DHS behavior. If DHS were to grant Harry special treatment, the implications are obvious: it has likely granted such treatment in the past to others who were sufficiently well-known or politically involved, and will likely continue to do so.
It is astonishing that US officials are fighting to prevent the release of Harry’s immigration records.
The judge is expected to issue a written ruling in our case soon. On Thursday, he ordered DHS to turn over specific information before deciding whether to make the data public or not. He also asked the government to explain any “special harm” that would result from the release of the documents.
For the sake of truth and transparency, I hope he agrees to let the public see Harry’s immigration files for themselves. That is the fairest possible outcome.
Dr. Nile Gardiner is director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation in Washington DC.