While the US government maintains that the redactions were made to protect Harry’s privacy, critics online have theorised that the lack of transparency suggests the Duke of Sussex may have received special treatment.
The debate stems from Harry’s own admissions of past drug use, detailed in his 2023 memoir Spare. It’s being questioned whether Harry disclosed his past drug use on his visa application.
However, the newly released documents do not confirm nor deny how Harry answered the question about drug use. This has led to frustration among those seeking clarity.
Prince Harry’s visa records were redacted due to privacy
In the released documents this week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reiterated that Prince Harry’s visa records were redacted purely for privacy reasons.
Officials stated that disclosing his visa details could lead to “reasonably foreseeable harm in the form of harassment as well as unwanted contact by the media and others”.
Despite these explanations, critics remain unconvinced, with many turning to social media to voice their scepticism.
On Reddit and other online platforms, many users speculated that the redactions were an attempt to conceal that Harry had received special treatment regarding the drug-related questions.
One user wrote: “And as we expected, we don’t know anything more than when we started. With so much redacted, I’m betting he got special treatment and we will never know if he admitted his drug use or not.”
Another claimed on X: “The heavy redactions on Prince Harry’s immigration records prove he was given special treatment.”
A third added: “Prince Harry’s document dump is very very telling… especially the parts that have not been redacted. Prince Harry got special treatment.”
However, others hit back at the theories and insisted it’s been confirmed that the duke didn’t get special treatment.
Heritage Foundation pushes for full disclosure
The Heritage Foundation has vowed to continue its legal battle to obtain Harry’s full visa records. They have insisted that the American public has a right to know whether Harry disclosed his past drug use and if he entered the US legally.
The Heritage Foundation’s Nile Gardiner told the Daily Mail. “These documents do not in any way alter the big picture. Which is that Harry’s visa application needs to be released to the American public in full.
“The American public deserves to know how he entered the country and if he did so legally. These documents are so heavily redacted that they offer no answers at all.”
Gardiner also suggested that US President Donald Trump could decide to release Harry’s full visa application: “There is a very strong possibility, in my view, that the Trump administration will release Harry’s visa file in a full, unredacted and complete way.”
However, while Trump previously said he wouldn’t protect Harry, he later backtracked.
Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said: “I’ll leave him alone… He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”
For now, Harry’s actual visa form remains private, leaving both critics and supporters with unanswered questions.
