Prince Harry Denies US Citizenship Plans Amid Immigration Scrutiny
Prince Harry has no current plans to pursue U.S. citizenship.
During his appearance on the “Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know” podcast on Wednesday, October 29, the 41-year-old Harry addressed the question, “Will I become a U.S. citizen?” He stated, “As of now, there are no intentions to do so.”
Despite residing in the United States for half a decade, Harry, aged 41, commented that circumstances feel increasingly “perplexing” to him. Nevertheless, he offered no further explanation for this sentiment. (He and his spouse, Meghan Markle, made their move to California in 2020 following their departure from their senior royal roles.)
The Duke of Sussex’s confirmation regarding his citizenship status follows several months after his immigration situation became a subject of public inquiry this past March.
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The controversy began in March 2024 with the disclosure that Nile Gardiner, who leads the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the conservative policy group The Heritage Foundation, was engaged in legal action against the Department of Homeland Security to obtain Harry’s visa application. By that September, the petition had been rejected.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request lodged by The Heritage Foundation claimed that Harry had kept his previous drug use a secret, which would typically disqualify him from securing a U.S. visa. (Harry had previously documented his experiences with cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms in his 2023 autobiography, Spare.)
By February of the current year, the Department of Homeland Security consented to make available a censored edition of the application. The extensive 82-page document was released to the public in March, featuring significant redactions. It provided no information about Harry’s immigration standing or any mention of prior drug consumption.
Jarrod Panter, the chief FOIA officer for the Department of Homeland Security, explained in a contemporary statement, “Disclosing his precise status could expose him to predictable harm through harassment and undesired attention from the press and other parties.” He added, “Should his exact [redacted] be disclosed, there is a risk of harm via harassment. Consequently, these records encompass considerable privacy concerns.”
Although the contentious issues were not discussed on Wednesday’s podcast, Harry did share insights into other typical American customs he either embraces or avoids.
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He stated he doesn't consume Coors Light or wear shorts in dining establishments, clarifying that these preferences are unrelated to his relocation to America.
He elaborated, “My legs aren’t really suited for shorts.” He continued, “I have thin legs. My legs shouldn't be on display in a restaurant.”
Shifting to a more earnest topic, Harry spoke about his two children — Prince Archie, aged 6, and Princess Lilibet, aged 4 — with his wife, Meghan, aged 44.
When questioned about whether his children understand his actual profession, Harry responded, “They are aware that we assist others, but they aren't privy to the underlying details.”
A significant portion of Harry’s podcast discussion primarily focused on children and the digital age. Harry mentioned that he and Meghan frequently “discuss” the potential for their children to request mobile phones.
He stated, “Given our current understanding, I believe we will be far more careful and reluctant to grant our children access to social media.” He added, “The issue is, numerous parents lack that insight. It defies all logic, fairness, ethics, and morality that a parent must contemplate this application on a phone — and incidentally, providing a phone for your child serves a crucial purpose.”
