By DANICA KIRKA (Associated Press)
LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Four years after Harry and his American wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, moved to a villa in Southern California, a travel company under his control submitted paperwork this week notifying British authorities that he has relocated and now usually lives in the United States.
The official acknowledgment highlights the prince’s increasing distance from Britain, following his and Meghan's decision to leave royal duties and pursue profitable media deals in America. Since then, Harry has openly criticized the royal family, including claims of unconscious racism featured in a Netflix series and his autobiography, “Spare.
The documents were filed by Travalyst Ltd, a company predominantly owned by Harry, established in 2020 to promote global awareness of sustainable tourism. The paperwork was received Monday by Companies House, the government agency responsible for incorporating U.K. companies.
The filing further separates Harry from his role as one of the king’s counselors of state — members of the royal family who can be deputized to carry out the duties of the monarch if he is unwell or out of the country.
Although Harry remains formally a counselor of state, the crown told Parliament in 2022 that “in practice,” only working members of the royal family would be called upon to fill in for the monarch.
Despite establishing themselves in the wealthy area of Montecito and raising their young son and daughter there, Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are also facing scrutiny over Harry's U.S. residency.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has raised doubts about the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to grant Harry a U.S. visa after he admitted to drug use in “Spare.
The foundation has requested a judge to compel the department to release Harry’s immigration file, arguing that the prince either made false statements on his visa application or was given special treatment because a history of drug use would normally disqualify an applicant from receiving a visa.
