A legal battle to make details of Prince Harry’s US visa application public has returned to court.
In his 2023 book, Spare, the Duke of Sussex detailed his experiences with drugs during his teenage years as he dealt with grief.
The admittance prompted right-wing US think tank the Heritage Foundation to launch a legal battle against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make the documents public and see whether the duke had lied about taking drugs on his application.
In September, it was ruled the documents would remain sealed. But on Wednesday, US Judge Carl Nichols reopened the case as he told a hearing he wanted to reveal the “maximum amount possible” about how Harry obtained his visa.
The judge added he was not “100 per cent sure” about how to proceed, but would notify the parties “in due course”.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales met with young farmers in Angus, Scotland, to discuss attitudes and behaviours to farm safety and poor mental health in future farmers.
He said it was important to break down any “taboos and stigmas around mental health” as they spoke about rural isolation and loneliness.
Key Points
- Legal battle over Harry's US visa documents reopens
- Prince of Wales discusses rural isolation with young farmers
Pictured: William meets young farmers
16:23
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Athena Stavrou
Prince of Wales discusses rural isolation with young farmers
15:54
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Athena Stavrou
The Prince of Wales said it is important to break down any “taboos and stigmas around mental health” as he met young farmers to discuss rural isolation and loneliness.
William was visiting a farm where he took part in a roundtable event hosted by the Farm Safety Foundation, a charity working to address attitudes and behaviours to farm safety and poor mental health in future farmers.
“I love the countryside and I love farming as well,” he told young farmers.
“And I am conscious that it’s an area that needs maybe a little bit of support and understanding that there is access and support out there for young farmers, as well as making sure we are breaking down any taboos and stigmas around mental health.
“Because I think in the farming world it’s maybe not talked about as much as in other sectors – and yet we know it exists.”
Nepali woman who met King in 1998 gives Sophie gift and thank you card for him
15:13
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Athena Stavrou
A woman who met the King at a Nepali shelter in 1998 has given the Duchess of Edinburgh a handmade gift and “thank you card” for him more than 25 years later.
On the second day of her royal tour Sophie spoke to survivors of trafficking and gender-based violence at Maiti Nepal – an organisation Charles also visited in 1998.
With the cushion was a picture of Ms Shrestha meeting the King and a card thanking him for the money he raised for the refuge.
The note read: “Your Highness King Charles, I hope you are doing well. When you visited Maiti Nepal in 1998 I was just five years old. I don’t remember much but this photo of us fills me with warmth.”
As she received the cushion, Sophie told Ms Shrestha: “That’s beautiful, you’re very clever. I shall give that to him with your love. He’ll be very happy to get it.”
Earlier in the visit, as she greeted the women who live at the refuge in Kathmandu, Pampha Adhakari and Pusba Thapa said they also remembered meeting the King during his visit.
The duchess said: “Well, he’s still the same.”
Team UK head for Invictus Games in Vancouver
14:45
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Athena Stavrou
The Royal British Legion's Team UK have begun their journey to Vancouver to take part in this year’s Invictus Games.
The team were pictured at Birmingham Airport on Thursday as they prepared to depart for the seventh annual games in Canada.
Prince Harry, a former British Army captain, launched the Invictus Games in 2014 as an international sports tournament for injured and wounded service personnel and returned veterans.
Aga Khan helped the late Queen enjoy ‘one of her most enjoyable’ racing moments
14:18
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Athena Stavrou
The King’s racing manager has said the late Aga Khan’s influence to continue to be felt for “many generations to come” in the racing world.
The renowned owner-breeder died on Tuesday evening at the age of 88, and was a long-standing friend of the late Queen.
The pair shared a passion for racing that saw him gift a filly for her 80th birthday.
That filly was Estimate, who went on to win the 2013 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, sparking famously joyous scenes in the royal box as she triumphed.
Racing manager John Warren has ranked that day as one of the late Queen’s “most enjoyable” on a racecourse.
In a statement to the PA news agency, Warren said: “Three days before the late Queen died, we sat and watched the video of the 100 years celebration of the Aga Khan Studs.
“Her Majesty remarked how amazing he was, along with his scientific approach to breeding and rearing stock and, of course, Estimate’s success in the Gold Cup gave the Queen one of her most enjoyable day’s racing.”
Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh meet elderly Gurkha veterans and widows
13:35
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Athena Stavrou
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have met elderly Gurkha veterans and widows during a visit to a Gurkha Welfare Trust Centre, in Pokhara.
The couple toured the Veterans Residential Home, on day three of their trip to Nepal.
Rare letter to Elizabeth I from possible love interest sold for £32,700
12:40
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Athena Stavrou
A rare signed letter to Queen Elizabeth I from her lifelong friend and possible love interest, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, has been sold for £32,700 – four times more than the estimated price.
The document contains an enigmatic reference to an unspecified great matter of state, said to bear directly on the Queen’s life.
The earl also apologises in the letter for his elusiveness during his recent journey across the Midlands of England.
His marriage in 1578 to Lettice, dowager countess of Essex, who Elizabeth loathed, is believed to have contributed to his absence and he was forced to keep his marriage half-hidden as a result.
The statesman and Queen had known one another since childhood and although he had failed to win her hand in marriage, they remained close friends until his death.
Experts at Lyon & Turnbull, the auctioneers who sold the letter on Wednesday, traced just two other autographed letters from the earl to Elizabeth.
Visit marks William's continued interest in farmer's mental health
12:18
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Athena Stavrou
On Wednesday, Prince William is set to discuss loneliness with two groups to discuss mental health and loneliness.
The visit is intended to highlight William’s commitment to supporting those in farming communities.
In 2023, the Duchy of Cornwall and William launched a new mental health strategy for Duchy tenants designed to prioritise farmers’ mental health and de-stigmatise the issue within the sector.
When it launched, it stated its ambitions to provide mental health care and support via a multi-layered approach. This included the ability to talk to trained staff via a dedicated wellbeing service, as well as staff and farmer training and hosting social events.
Full story: DC judge opens door to unsealing some documents in Prince Harry's US visa battle
11:46
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Athena Stavrou
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdaySIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy
A judge in Washington, D.C. has indicated that he may be willing to unseal some documents in Prince Harry’s U.S. visa application.
The sealed records showing Harry’s visa status have been viewed by Judge Carl Nichols, who said during a hearing Wednesday that he wanted "maximum disclosure as long as it doesn't violate privacy,” according to the Mirror.
"I'm not foreclosing the possibility that there might be some possible relief” concerning revealing at least some documents, he added, requesting that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) put forward suggestions for redactions or “continued withholdings.”
Read the full story here:
Edward and Sophie joke together and hold hands on trip to Nepal
11:19
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Athena Stavrou
Sophie and the Duke of Edinburgh are currently on a six-day official royal tour of the Nepal to celebrate its close ties to the UK.
On the second day of their trip, the couple held hands as they toured the Godawari National Botanic Garden.
The Duke of Edinburgh joked with his wife as he planted a tree in a Nepali garden, next to two that were planted by his parents almost 40 years ago.
The duke said: “Gosh they’ve done very, very well,” as he was shown the trees from his parents’ previous visit.
The duchess encouraged her husband as he picked up a spade and filled in the hole for the new tree, saying: “Keep going, darling.”
William to visit second group to combat loneliness
10:49
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Athena Stavrou
After a roundtable with young farmers, William will visit the Carnoustie and Monifieth Men’s Shed in Carnoustie to hear how the organisation is helping people build a sense of community and learn new skills.
The group was founded in 2015 and is run by local volunteers who meet weekly to take part in a range of activities such as woodwork, crafting and gardening.
William will tour the site and hear from members how the Men’s Shed has enriched their lives by helping them to form friendships and engage in creative and purposeful learning activities.
He will then be invited to take part in a woodwork activity with some of the members to gain further understanding of some of the skills people can learn.
Prince William to discuss loneliness with young farmers
10:47
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Athena Stavrou
The Prince of Wales is to visit Angus to highlight two community-led organisations helping to tackle rural isolation and loneliness.
William, known as the Duke of Rothesay north of the border, will first attend a roundtable in Carnoustie hosted by the Farm Safety Foundation, a charity working to address attitudes and behaviours to farm safety and poor mental health in future farmers.
The event will focus on the theme of combating loneliness and rural isolation and will be attended by young farmers from the local area who are part of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs.
Legal battle over Harry's US visa documents reopens
10:46
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Athena Stavrou
Five months after the matter was seemingly closed, a lawsuit fighting to make Prince Harry’s private US visa records public was reopened in court on Wednesday.
The Duke of Sussex admitted he had previously taken drugs during his teenage years in his 2023 book, Spare, prompting a right-wing US think tank to suggest he had lied on his documentation or could have been given special treatment by Joe Biden’s administration.
The Heritage Foundation launched a legal battle against Department for Homeland Security (DHS) to obtain his application. But in September 2024, the case was closed when a judge ruled that Harry’s application would remain private.
But on Wednesday Judge Carl Nichols, said during a hearing that he wanted "maximum disclosure as long as it doesn't violate privacy.”
Nichols said he was “not 100 percent sure how I want to proceed,” and that he would notify the parties “in due course”.
