The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not lived in the United Kingdom for years, having decamped to California in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties. They live in Montecito with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The change of address was filed for Travalyst, Harry’s eco-tourism organization that he founded before he left the U.K. While it was filed this week, the date on the document for the change is June 29, 2023. That was the day, according to British media reports, that Buckingham Palace confirmed Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had vacated Frogmore Cottage, their British home close to Windsor Castle.
In December, during Harry’s legal battle over the level of his publicly funded security in the U.K., Harry said in a statement read by his lawyers that he regarded Britain as “my home” and a place that was “central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the US. That cannot happen if it’s not possible to keep them safe when they are on UK soil.”
Harry’s case against the British government over his security was rejected in February. This week, the prince lost his bid to appeal that ruling.
Harry has previously said he has considered becoming an American citizen.
In an interview in February with “Good Morning America,” Harry said that becoming a U.S. citizen “is a thought that has crossed my mind,” but he added that it is “not a high priority for me right now.”
Prince Harry’s visa application is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit in the United States. The Heritage Foundation, a D.C.-based conservative think tank, is suing the Department of Homeland Security for access to Harry’s visa records. The think tank says that he may have lied about past drug use on his visa application, or received favorable treatment by officials. In his memoir, “Spare,” Harry acknowledged that he used cocaine several times and used cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms.
Jane Hartley, U.S. ambassador to the U.K., was recently told in an interview with Sky News that “apparently President Trump says he thinks he might deport Harry if he becomes president.” Hartley laughed off the suggestion, saying, “Well it’s not going to happen in the Biden administration.”
In an interview with GB News, Trump said, “We’ll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they’ll have to take appropriate action,” referring to Harry’s visa application.
Harry has returned to Britain several times since moving to California. He made a transatlantic dash in February shortly after his father, King Charles III, was diagnosed with cancer.
He is also involved in various legal battles in the U.K., including a claim against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful information gathering. This week, Harry’s lawyer told the High Court that the prince may be “forced” to settle because of escalating legal costs.