Prince Harry accused of 'encouraging illegal drug use' in US court papers

The organisation wants to see if Prince Harry admitted to using illegal drugs before gaining a US visa.

In his memoir, the Duke of Sussex said he had taken cocaine, magic mushrooms and cannabis.

The Heritage Foundation sued the Department of Homeland Security under the Freedom of Information Act, claiming the Duke of Sussex may have received favourable treatment when he applied for the visa.

The Biden administration is fighting the case on the basis that visa applicants have a right to privacy.

The Heritage Foundation claims Harry undermined his right to privacy by "selling every aspect of his private life".

The Heritage Foundation states in its latest filing to the Federal Court in the District of Columbia: "[The case] comes about in the main because HRH [His Royal Highness] voluntarily - and for immense profit - admitted in writing to the elements of any number of controlled substance violations. (Indeed, some say HRH has approached the point of bragging and encouraging illegal drug use.)"

The document adds: "The Duke of Sussex did so despite the fact that it is widely known that such admissions can have adverse immigration consequences for non-citizens and despite employing preeminent legal advisors on both sides of the Atlantic."

The Heritage Foundation continued: "But that is not all. This case is further bespoke in that HRH - again for immense profit - detailed his immigration decisions and manner of entry in writing and via Netflix video."

The filing states: "The Duke of Sussex has sold every aspect of his private life for, in some estimates, over $135 million. HRH's [His Royal Highness'] claims of privacy interests in the face of this conduct have been met with widespread public ridicule."

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"The Duke of Sussex must take the good with the bad. Having sold all manner of private matters for profit - including specific details on his taking up residence in the United States and every detail of his years of illegal drug use to the point of braggadocio - HRH must accept a substantially diminished privacy interest.

Prince Harry moved to the US with his American wife Meghan Markle in 2020.

Earlier this year, a source close to the Duke of Sussex claimed Harry did tell US officials about his drug use.

US immigration law has harsh penalties for lying to immigration officials, including deportation and being barred from applying for citizenship.