Britain’s Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a US resident

A travel company the British prince controls filed paperwork this week telling UK authorities that he is now ‘usually resident’ in the US
Conservative think-tank The Heritage Foundation has questioned the decision to grant the visa after Harry’s admissions of drug use in his book Spare

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Associated Press

Published: 4:14am, 19 Apr 2024

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Prince Harry, the son of King Charles and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a US resident.

Four years after Harry and his American wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, decamped to a villa in Southern California, a travel company he controls filed paperwork this week telling British authorities that he has moved and is now “usually resident” in the United States.

The formal acknowledgement underscores the prince’s increasing estrangement from Britain, after he and Meghan walked away from royal duties to pursue lucrative media deals in America. Since then, Harry has repeatedly criticised the royal family, including allegations of unconscious racism that were included in a Netflix series and the prince’s autobiography, Spare.

Britain’s Prince Harry, right, and wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Wellington, Florida on April 12. Photo: AP

The paperwork was filed by Travalyst Ltd, a company at least 75 per cent owned by Harry and which was founded in 2020 to “promote global awareness of the importance of sustainable tourism”. The documentation was received on Monday by Companies House, the government agency that oversees the incorporation of UK companies.

The filing further separates Harry from his role as one of the king’s counsellors of state – members of the royal family who can be deputised to carry out the duties of the monarch if he is unwell or out of the country.

While Harry formally remains a counsellor of state, the crown informed parliament in 2022 that “in practice” only working members of the royal family would be called upon to fill in for the monarch.

Although Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have put down roots in the wealthy enclave of Montecito, where they are raising their young son and daughter, Harry is also facing scrutiny about his US residency.

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The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank, has questioned the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to grant Harry a US visa following admissions of drug use that were included in Spare.

The foundation, which has asked a judge to force the department to release Harry’s immigration file, argues that the prince either lied on his visa application or was given special treatment because a history of drug use would normally disqualify an applicant from being granted a visa.

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