The embattled Prince Harry finds an unexpected ally in his fight to keep his United States visa.
The Prince, whose U.S. visa is believed to be in error by the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation thanks to potentially undeclared drug use in the past, has come under fire from the unpredictable and volatile President-Elect Donald Trump.
Trump reportedly has a very low opinion of Harry and his wife Meghan, claiming that he will not protect Harry from any investigation into the duke’s visa status and any irregularities surrounding it. Fortunately for the Sussexes, Trump’s own wife Melania has emerged as an unwitting ally.
Although Harry and Meghan didn’t directly intervene or endorse any particular candidate during the recent U.S. Presidential Election, remaining tight-lipped about their personal feelings, they had previously made comments that suggested support for Joe Biden during the 2020 election. Trump is said to have been unhappy with the remarks and the man, well known for nursing a grudge, has shown support for the Heritage Foundation’s crusade.
But Trump’s support might be short-lived and might end up getting withdrawn, as the Orangeman-in-Chief himself is in dispute with the Foundation. Apparently, the Heritage Foundation isn’t just fixating on Harry as it has forced the release of Melania’s (deceased) mother’s immigration records. Melania is said to be “upset and worried” about the decision due to the potential security concerns surrounding the release.
This decision is unlikely to have won the Foundation any great favor with Trump, whose reaction to personal problems is known to be very extreme. It leaves the Foundation in a difficult place with its calls for investigations into Prince Harry, as it had been actively expecting support from the incoming President Trump to carry out an investigation. In the scenario where Trump is no longer supporting the organization — because if he agrees to Harry presenting his visa documents, he won’t be able to stop Melania from facing a similar fate — that outcome is far less likely.
For Harry and Meghan, the news will be welcome. The Sussexes have made a home in the U.S., and it’s where their children, Archie and Lilibet, reside full-time. If Harry’s visa gets revoked, the family faces a future where they will have to live without Harry or, in what would be a major upheaval for everyone, would need to pack up and find a home elsewhere.
Despite missing Archie’s first day at school, the Sussexes are well settled into California life and they are keen to avoid any major disruptions to their lives, at least according to Royal Family expert Jennie Bond. Meghan’s struggling lifestyle business pushes a very California Hollywood style of wellness and “aspirational” living, and with the Duke and the Duchess attempting to reclaim their own separate brand identities, a major move seems unwise.
Despite buying a plush new property in Portugal to be closer to other members of the Royal Family, Harry and Meghan seem keen to stay in the U.S. full-time, and it does make sense for the family and their business ventures. If Trump’s Melania-induced spat with the Heritage Foundation takes his eyes off Harry and Meghan, it looks like they’ll be in the clear.