Heritage Foundation lawsuits on Prince Harry's visa stall as couple prepares UK return

In 2023 the conservative Heritage Foundation filed Freedom of Information Act lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to uncover the Duke of Sussex’s immigration paperwork after his memoir “Spare” revealed past drug use. The suits yielded only heavily redacted court declarations confirming DHS holds entry and exit records, while a federal judge ruled the public lacks a strong interest in the files and agencies cited privacy and harassment concerns to withhold them.

A later suit targeting the State Department found just 18 responsive records, all withheld under FOIA and immigration statutes. As the legal battles lingered, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they will leave the United States and return to the United Kingdom, six years after stepping back from royal duties. Mike Howell, now president of the Oversight Project, reiterated the demand for full disclosure and suggested the couple’s exit might affect Harry’s ability to return. President Donald Trump had earlier joked he would not pursue deportation of the prince.