Donald Trump's Colleague Is Working Overtime To Revoke Prince Harry's US Visa
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Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20 could usher in a world of problems for Prince Harry because one of the president-elect’s colleagues isn’t a big fan of the royal family. Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom and Bernard and Barbara Lomas Fellow at The Heritage Foundation — the Project 2025 think tank — is stepping up his efforts to revoke the Duke of Sussex’s U.S. visa.
Gardiner was irked by Harry and Meghan Markle’s press release on their Sussex.com site regarding Meta’s decision to eliminate third-party fact-checking. The Donald Trump ally told The Daily Beast that he considers their opinion about Mark Zuckerberg’s company a “deeply political matter,” and it is “hugely inappropriate” for the royal couple to weigh in on the “hot-button political topic.”
“For members of the royal family to engage in such overtly political matters is, quite frankly, highly inappropriate,” Gardiner claimed. “It goes against royal protocol. Their use of these titles to further their personal and political agendas makes a mockery of the royal family’s customary neutrality. Their statement wasn’t a moderate call for dialogue or understanding; it was an outright political rant.”
Yet Harry and Meghan’s statement starts off by saying it is an issue for everyone — not solely for the left, right, or center. “It doesn’t matter whether your views are left, right or somewhere in between—the latest news from Meta about changes to their policies directly undermines free speech,” they wrote. “This should deeply concern us all. Contrary to the company’s talking points, allowing more abuse and normalizing hate speech serves to silence speech and expression, not foster it.”
Gardiner has been pushing for Harry’s deportation for years and he might have the support of Donald Trump if he gets his way. Harry’s admitted drug use in his 2023 memoir, Spare, was the root of The Heritage Foundation’s concern. They sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with claims that Harry received special treatment as a royal when he was given the visa. John Bardo, who represented the DHS in court, didn’t have an issue with Harry’s book. He said in a February 2024 hearing, per The Telegraph, “The book isn’t sworn testimony or proof, saying something in a book doesn’t necessarily make it true.”
With a new president about to take office, Prince Harry’s luck might run out. It’s confusing as to why The Heritage Foundation is so focused on Harry’s immigration status, especially when the U.S. has more pressing issues at hand.
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