Prince Harry’s future in the United States could be decided by a man who once called his wife ‘classic woke’ and accused her of wanting ‘freebies’.
Depending on what type of visa the Duke of Sussex is on his fate may rest in the hands of whoever Donald Trump appoints as Secretary of State. A leading contender is Ric Grenell, the former U.S. ambassador to Germany who was also acting director of national intelligence in Trump’s first term.
In the wake of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s landmark interview with Oprah Winfrey on March 7, 2021, Grenell offered an uncompromising view. ‘Meghan Markle is the classic American woke progressive,’ he tweeted. ‘She doesn’t want to do the work but is outraged she doesn’t get the freebies.’ Another contender for Secretary of State is Senator Marco Rubio, who has not made his feelings on Prince Harry public.
Rubio takes a keen interest in British affairs and has in the past expressed fulsome praise for the late Queen, and Sir Winston Churchill. The Duke’s visa status remains secret after Judge Carl Nichols in Washington D.C. ruled on September 9 that U.S. government documents relating to it will not be made public.
The judge sealed his order so it is not known why he made that decision. However, experts have indicated to Dailymail.com that the Duke may be on a rare diplomatic visa known as an A-1 Head of State visa.
According to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations ‘members of a reigning royal family’ qualify for a standard A-1 diplomatic visa but it is intended for when they are performing official duties. A holder of an A-1 Head of State visa can be in the U.S. regardless of their purpose of travel, and can work if they so wish.
In receiving one there is a discretionary exception for anyone ‘individually authorized’ by the U.S. State Department. The regulations say: ‘In any case in which there is uncertainty about the applicability of these regulations to a principal alien applicant requesting such nonimmigrant status, the matter shall be immediately referred to the (State) Department for consideration as to whether acceptance of accreditation will be granted.’ Melissa Chavin, a U.K.-based immigration lawyer said such visas are proposed by the Foreign Office to the State Department and are ‘very much this handshake’ arrangement. The Duke would have ‘duration of status’ and just need to be re-vetted ‘from time to time.’
It leaves open the possibility the Duke could have his status withdrawn. ‘If the American foreign ministry says he’s counter to U.S. foreign policy then that’s really going to anger the British foreign ministry. That would not be a nice thing to do to an ally,’ Chavin said.
