NILE GARDINER: My mission to unlock the truth about Harry's visa isn't ... trends now
Whatever you think of Prince Harry – and I know he has both well-wishers and detractors – there are some things upon which we can all agree. He is a wealthy man from a remarkably privileged background boasting nearly universal fame.
I object to none of that and have nothing personally against him.
But at the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation in Washington DC, America's most prominent conservative think-tank, our goal is to ensure the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) treat everyone – prince or ordinary citizen – equally when it comes to being allowed to legally enter the US.
Prince Harry entered America in March 2020 with no apparent problem and has settled with his wife Meghan and their two children in Montecito, California.
However, in his book Spare, published last year, he admitted extensively to elements of drug crimes both in the US and elsewhere. He admitted using cocaine, cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms. He has since spoken about using the hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca.
Prince Harry has publicly admitted to extensive illegal drug use including cocaine, cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms
However, in his book Spare, published last year, he admitted extensively to elements of drug crimes both in the US and elsewhere and US immigration rules take a firm stance against illegal drug use
Prince Harry entered America in March 2020 with no apparent problem and has settled with his wife Meghan and their two children in Montecito, California
What has this got to do with me or my organisation, you might ask.
The Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, established by Baroness Thatcher in 2006, is part of the Heritage Foundation, which has about 500,000 members and has been the leading Washington think-tank calling for the robust enforcement of US immigration laws and condemning the failure of the Biden administration to secure the US borders.
When I worked for Baroness Thatcher as a foreign policy aide in London from 2000 to 2002, it was her firm conviction that both the US and UK must defend and control their borders and apply the rule of law in protecting them.
That is why we are engaged in a court battle with DHS, the agency in charge of US immigration, to release Prince Harry's visa application. Officials have resisted our Freedom of Information request, and the matter is now in the hands of a judge. I have no doubt my former boss would have backed our fight to determine if Harry received preferential
