Prince Harry Considering U.S. Citizenship

Prince Harry has said he is considering becoming a United States citizen, causing a potential new rift in the royal family.

The prince told Good Morning America on Friday that the thought "has crossed" his mind, but it is not a "high priority" for him.

New U.S. citizens are obliged to swear an oath of allegiance, in which they "entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty."

The Context

Asked by GMA host Will Reeve whether the prince had thought about becoming a citizen, Harry responded: "I have considered it, yeah." On what would potentially stop him from doing this, he added: "I have no idea. I'm here standing next to these guys [Invictus Games organizers]. American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but isn't something that's a high priority for me right now."

Harry's comments mark the first time he has discussed a potential application for U.S. citizenship since his move to California with Meghan Markle in 2020. The couple live full-time in Montecito with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The revelation comes as he also revealed on Friday that he believed King Charles' recent cancer diagnosis could bring his family closer together.

Newsweek reached out to Prince Harry via email for comment.

What We Know

Harry has lived in the U.S. since 2020, though the exact details of his visa and citizenship status are not publicly known. This is despite the efforts of the Conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, which has been petitioning the U.S. government to see the prince's visa documentation since 2023, following details in his memoir Spare of recreational drug use.

Foreign nationals entering the U.S. are obligated to state whether they use or have used illegal drugs. The foundation seeks to confirm whether this was done or not.

For the prince to become a U.S. citizen he would be required to take an oath of allegiance to his new country. Guidance published by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reveals that the statement includes the words:

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen."

As a British citizen, this would see the prince renounce his own father, who, as King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is a foreign prince, the head of state and sovereign.

It is not yet known whether swearing this oath would have an impact on Harry's right to retain his prince titles.

Harry's interview with Good Morning America was given during a three-day visit to Canada to mark the one-year waypoint to the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler.

Views

Harry's citizenship revelation is likely to cause controversy in Britain, where he has recently been criticized following the rebranding of his personal website with his wife, Meghan, which more closely ties the couple to their royal titles.

On February 12, the archewell.com website which served as Harry and Meghan's personal hub was overhauled, transforming to sussex.com with the topline branding: "The Office of Prince Harry & Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex."

At the time, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams suggested to Newsweek the move was an example of the couple "trading on their royal titles."

If the prince were to decide to become a U.S. citizen, public debate around the retention and use of Harry's prince and duke titles would be expected.

What's Next?

The prince keeps his comments on personal subjects restricted to authorized interviews and media projects, therefore little more is expected to be known on the subject until he chooses to release it.

Buckingham Palace is unlikely to comment on Harry's citizenship revelation. King Charles and the extended royal family have adopted blanket "no comment" positions on the content of the prince's past interviews.

Update 2/16/24, 8:41 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

Update 2/16/24, 9:44 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and to note that Newsweek reached out to Prince Harry's representatives for comment.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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