Prince Harry’s privacy wins out as US release redacted visa documents

It looks like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue to enjoy the Montecito sunshine without interruption, following the release of heavily redacted documents related to a court battle over the prince’s 2020 visa application.

The documents were made public after a conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request, arguing the public had a right to know if the British royal disclosed his prior drug use that he wrote about in his memoir, on his visa application.

While the FOI request was successful, the US government redacted large portions of the paperwork, saying it had a duty to protect the prince’s privacy. The government also emphasised that there was no evidence suggesting Harry had received special treatment.

The US government handed over 80 pages of heavily redacted documents but the Duke of Sussex’s immigration file remains private as immigration officials said the conservative think tank had not established that the public interest outweighed the right to privacy for Harry.

“Plaintiffs allege that the records should be disclosed as public confidence in the government would suffer or to establish whether the Duke was granted preferential treatment,” wrote Immigration official, Jarrod Panter.

Prince Harry is likely breathing a sigh of relief after this development, especially as he has ruled out returning to the United Kingdom on multiple occasions.

Speaking at The New York Times DealBook Summit previously, Harry expressed his happiness with the life he has built with his wife and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, in California.

“I very much enjoy living here and bringing up my kids here,” he said.

“It’s a part of my life that I never thought that I was gonna live.”

Harry’s decision to step back from royal duties in 2020, alongside Meghan, dramatically altered his relationship with Royal Family. Tensions escalated following their departure, particularly after the couple’s explosive 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they detailed struggles within the royal institution. Harry’s memoir and subsequent interviews further criticised the Royal Family, deepening the rift.

Despite these challenges, Harry stands by his choice, saying it aligns with what his mother would have wanted for him.

-with Reuters.