Prince Harry's US Visa Files Delayed Amid King Charles' State Visit— and It's Not Good News
The release of Prince Harry’s visa documents has been postponed to June 12 in a DC court filing.
As Prince Harry continues his successful four-day visit to Australia, US officials have delayed the release of his visa documents until after his father, King Charles, completes his high-stakes state visit. Campaigners have long demanded answers on whether the Duke of Sussex disclosed his past substance use on immigration forms. The ensuing postponement, outlined in court filings in Washington, DC, pushes a potential release till June 12, extending a closely watched legal and public debate.
As reported by The Daily Mail, the US-based think tank, The Heritage Foundation, along with researcher Mike Howell, filed a Freedom of Information case and sued the US State Department to comply with releasing the documents. Since then, hundreds of files relating to Harry's visa case have been identified. However, in a recent court filing in Washington, DC, it was revealed that authorities had failed to meet the March deadline. While the filing itself does not mention Charles's Washington state visit, it coyly ensures that no damaging revelations about his son emerge when he is in the country.
Charles and Queen Camilla are set to undertake their US state visit from April 27 to April 30. It will be Charles's first state visit to the country as King, with planned stops in Washington, DC, New York, and Virginia, in honor of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. Meanwhile, US officials insist that the delays in Harry's visa case are purely bureaucratic, citing the sheer volume of material and the need to consult across government offices. The April 13 court filing mentions, "The Department previously anticipated being able to make an initial interim production in this case in March, and commence rolling productions as available hereafter. The Department, however, is still processing a potential first tranche of records and will produce them as soon as possible."
Additionally, the 'status report' exposed the identification of 307 separate records spanning 2,487 pages that could be related to Harry. Officials said the Bureau of Consular Affairs first identified 517 documents that could be relevant. Another 217 records were found by the Office of the Secretary, while the Office of the Legal Adviser located 271 more. The legal fight has been ongoing for nearly three years, since The Heritage Foundation first took the matter to court. It comes after Harry stepped down from royal duties in 2020.
In his memoir, Spare, the Duke of Sussex confessed to using illicit substances when he was young, a revelation that could seriously complicate his visa approval. Heritage lawyer Samuel Dewey has previously argued that the sheer scale of the files suggests close monitoring of Harry by officials. He told The Sun, "I think we're going to see documents from Harry talking about the case, but other material may be withheld. Then it will be up to politicians whether that decision is overruled." Interestingly, Donald Trump has not been keen on the idea of deporting him, telling the New York Post, "I don't want to do that. I'll leave him [Harry] alone. He's got enough problems with his wife."
