Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Attempt to Secure 'Golden Visa' After 'Feeling Forced' to Move to the U.S.
According to an expert, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are hoping to obtain a 'Golden Visa' status in Portugal.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly purchased a vacation home in Portugal one year after being evicted from their royal residence, but their investment could lead to the duo securing a unique visa status within the European Union.
"The number of people inside the royal family who are willing to proclaim their friendship for Harry and Meghan has dwindled to practically nothing," royal biographer Christopher Andersen told an outlet.
"No one wants to run afoul of the king and Prince William – it's that simple," Andersen claimed. "Somehow Prince Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie, who has a home in Portugal, has been able to straddle the fence – to remain in the king's good graces but also not turn her back on the Sussexes. Obviously, Harry and Meghan are very grateful for the loyalty Eugenie has shown."
The Sussexes haven't spent quality time with William and Kate Middleton in years, but Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank have maintained a friendship with the royal rebels despite their rift with the royal family.
"Purchasing a villa in Portugal has more to do with being close to a royal family member who is still genuinely fond of them than it does with being geographically closer to Great Britain," he claimed. "Maybe in the future Eugenie, who also remains close to William and his wife, Kate Middleton, could also play the role of go-between. But any scenario like that seems an awfully long way off."
"At the moment, King Charles and, in particular, Prince William show no signs of being interested in any sort of rapprochement," Andersen claimed.
Aside from their ongoing rift with the Windsors, owning a house in Portugal could make traveling around Europe easier for the Sussexes.
"I think a lot of people will find it hard to believe that Meghan was not automatically accorded British citizenship when she married Prince Harry in 2018," he explained. "She was informed that, for her to gain citizenship and a U.K. passport, she would have to apply like anyone else and that it would take at least a year."
Expanding their real estate portfolio will allow the Sussexes to spend more time with Eugenie, but it could also be a part of the duo's strategy for the next phase of their lives.
"By contrast, Portugal offers a ‘Golden Visa’ to wealthy investors in Portuguese real estate," Andersen shared. "The Golden Visa is more than just a status symbol, although it certainly is that. It enables the ultra-rich to travel throughout Europe unhindered… Not having to be dependent on a single passport is just another way for the wealthy to hedge their bets."
OK! previously reported, the Duke of Sussex claimed in his witness statement that he was pushed out of the U.K.
"It was with great sadness for both of us that my wife and I felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020. The U.K. is my home," Harry told the High Court.
In 2023, Harry lost his lawsuit against the Home Office for security, but he expressed his safety concerns about returning to England with his family.
"The U.K. is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the U.S.," the famous redhead continued.
Anderson spoke to Fox News Digital.
