Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS – WPA Pool

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, residing in the United States since 2020, are reportedly contemplating a return to the UK amid legal challenges concerning Prince Harry’s visa application and revelations about his past drug use. The couple’s move to the US was initially seen as a new start away from the intense media scrutiny they faced in the UK, but recent events seem to have nudged a reevaluation of their situation.

The Duke of Sussex’s US visa application has come under the radar after his confessions about his drug use in his memoir, Spare. This has led to a lawsuit filed against him by The Heritage Foundation, a think tank group, posing questions about the accuracy of his immigration documents. Prince Harry’s candid revelations about experimenting with drugs like magic mushrooms, cannabis, cocaine, and ayahuasca in his book have fueled these legal challenges.

Richard Eden of The Daily Mail emphasized the potential concerns Harry may have about his status in the US, especially in light of the upcoming US presidential election and the strained relationship between Meghan and former President Donald Trump. Eden remarked, “As the US presidential election is on the horizon, we know Meghan is not a fan of Donald Trump and that feeling is very much mutual. Trump’s enjoyed making suggestions that they won’t have such an easy ride if he’s president again so I think Harry has every reason to feel nervous in the USA now and it would suit him if he’s got that escape route back to his homeland,” as reported by Daily Record.

The Heritage Foundation’s lawsuit and the subsequent Freedom of Information Act request for Harry’s immigration papers have emphasized his past drug use, posing questions about how this might affect his residency status in the US. While Prince Harry’s memoir portrays his drug experiences in a therapeutic context, the legal implications have added complexity to his situation.

Prince Harry wrote, “I stared at the bin. It stared back. ‘What—staring?’ Then it became… a head. I stepped on the pedal and the head opened its mouth. A huge open grin. Psychedelics did me some good as well. I’d experimented with them over the years, for fun, but now I’d begun to use them therapeutically, medicinally. They didn’t simply allow me to escape reality for a while,” as per the reports of Mirror.

Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS
Amid these challenges, Harry and Meghan are said to be considering their options carefully, weighing the potential benefits of returning to the UK against the uncertainties they face in the US. The possibility of a Trump presidency and the legal proceedings in the US have added urgency to their deliberations, with Harry reportedly feeling nervous about his status in America.