Love him or loathe him, it appears Prince Harry is sticking around. After a prolonged and contentious legal battle, a federal judge ruled on March 18, 2025, that the Duke of Sussex adhered to “all applicable rules and regulations” (according to Daily Mail) when he applied for U.S. residency in 2020. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington-based think tank, had filed the lawsuit out of suspicion that the prince had falsely claimed he had no history of drug use on the application, which could have jeopardized his immigration status. This lawsuit was another point in the ongoing clash between Harry and President Donald Trump. However, Trump seems to have softened somewhat since returning to office. In February, he reversed his position on deporting Harry, shifting his critiques toward Meghan Markle instead. “I’ll leave him alone,” Trump told the New York Post. “He’s got enough issues with his wife. She’s terrible.”
Harry’s older brother, William, the Prince of Wales, is likely to be equally pleased by the news. The two have reportedly been on strained terms for some time, with a number of issues fueling their rift, including the Sussexes’ departure from royal duties (“Megxit”) and, notably, Harry’s memoir Spare. However, according to the book, the brotherly tension stretches much further back. Harry asserts that there was always a sense of rivalry between them, with William allegedly feeling envious whenever Harry received a privilege or opportunity that was unavailable to him (like serving in a combat zone). Sending Harry back to the U.K. would almost certainly have sent the palace into a state of panic.
The royal brothers will maintain their distance for the time being.
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Now that the British royals are returning to their routine after the health challenges faced by Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, and King Charles III, they might be able to focus more on mending their relationship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (or Meghan Sussex, as she referred to herself on her new Netflix series). Reports about the status of this ongoing drama differ. Some royal insiders suggest the king is eager for a reconciliation between his sons so he can spend his later years with both of their families. Others, however, claim Charles is waiting for guarantees that Harry will cease publicly airing grievances about his life in the palace.
The court ruling that allows the younger prince to remain in California also means he doesn’t have to fear deportation, which would have been an added humiliation for both him and his father. The monarch has already faced numerous embarrassments during his seven-decade reign: some due to his own actions (like his affair with now-Queen Camilla) and others through association (such as the scandal surrounding Prince Andrew). A family reconciliation would become far more difficult if Harry were left scrambling to find a new home across the ocean (especially considering Uncle Andrew now resides in his former estate) and trying to manage the logistics of life with Meghan and their two children.
The Heritage Foundation isn’t ready to back down in its effort to prove Prince Harry is residing in the U.S. unlawfully. A spokesperson informed the Daily Mail that they remain determined to pursue the release of the complete visa records, including details that were previously redacted to safeguard the prince’s privacy. However, without former President Trump’s backing, the likelihood of Harry being forced out of Montecito appears even slimmer than the chances of him reconciling with his older brother.
