Prince Harry would never 'twist the knife' in royal family with U.S. citizenship, expert claims

The Duke of Sussex lives in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet

There’s zero chance Prince Harry will become a U.S. citizen anytime soon, according to several royal experts.

During a recent interview with "Good Morning America" (GMA), the Duke of Sussex revealed he has "considered" becoming a U.S. citizen.

"The American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but certainly not something that is a high priority for me right now," the father of two clarified.

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The Duke of Sussex revealed he has "considered" becoming a U.S. citizen. (Christoph Reichwein/picture alliance )

Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," told Fox News Digital the younger son of Britain’s King Charles III has too much to lose before embracing a very different red, white and blue.

"There is really no earthly reason why, after being accused of turning his back on his family and his country, Harry would want to twist the knife by seeking U.S. citizenship," Andersen claimed. 

"That would only distance himself further from his British roots and provoke a response from the palace. It would only anger the British public and exacerbate matters at a time when Harry’s father is battling cancer and the fate of the monarchy is hanging in the balance.

"Forget about whether the U.S. would ultimately demand that Harry renounce his titles," Andersen added. "It’s much more likely that King Charles would face pressure to strip Harry of his royal titles if he chose to become a U.S. citizen. And it’s difficult to see the upside of Harry becoming a U.S. citizen.

Prince Harry spoke to GMA while in Canada for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025s One Year to Go winter training camp. (Don MacKinnon/AFP)

"What’s in it for him?" Andersen continued. "Why would he further alienate himself from the rest of the royals? Harry says he loves living in America, but that’s not the same as saying he loves America. It was clear that Harry was blindsided when he was asked that question."

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Harry admitted that while life in America is "amazing," he stopped short of saying he felt American.

"Do I feel American? Um, no," said the 39-year-old. "I don’t know how to feel."

Meghan Markle, a former American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry in 2018. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Becoming an American would come with a price for the royal. According to the policy manual of the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service, he may have to give up his princely titles.

"Any applicant who has any titles of heredity or positions of nobility in any foreign state must renounce the title or the position," the policy states. "The applicant must expressly renounce the title in a public ceremony and USCIS must record the renunciation as part of the proceedings. Failure to renounce the title of position shows a lack of attachment to the Constitution."

When taking the oath of allegiance, those with titles must also say, "I further renounce the title of (give title or titles) which I have heretofore held" or "I further renounce the order of nobility (give the order of nobility) to which I have heretofore belonged."

A Union Jack flag of the United Kingdom and the Stars and Stripes of the United States fly against the castle on May 18, 2018, in Windsor, England.  (James D. Morgan)

Harry is fifth in line to the British throne.

The prince has had a troubled relationship with his family since he quit royal duties in 2020 and moved to California with his wife, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. He showed up alone for his father’s coronation in May but left as soon as the ceremony ended to return to the U.S. for his son’s birthday.

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Following their departure, Harry and his wife aired their complaints about life as royals. In 2021, they sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview that was viewed by 50 million people globally. After releasing a six-part docuseries on Netflix in 2022, Harry’s memoir, "Spare," hit bookshelves in 2023, quickly becoming a bestseller.

Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" was published in 2023. (Justin Tallis/AFP)

Markle, a former American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the prince in 2018. While the 42-year-old confirmed she had planned to become a citizen of the U.K. after the wedding, she never completed the process, People magazine reported. She detailed her struggles with the U.K.’s citizenship exam in an episode of her podcast "Archetypes."

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that while Harry hasn’t always "relished the role" of prince, it has opened up partnership opportunities in the U.S. When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their royal exit, the couple also shared that they would be financially independent.

"I would feel let down if Harry took American citizenship because, in his charity roles, he has been a stalwart advocate for British people who have difficulties in life," Pelham Turner said. "The jury is out there, but cool heads need to prevail and compromise found."

King Charles and Queen Camilla attend a church service Feb. 11. The king is seen here greeting well-wishers following his cancer diagnosis. (Max Mumby/Indigo)

Pelham Turner also pointed out that such a decision would impact the king as he’s battling an undisclosed form of cancer. Harry’s relationship with his older brother Prince William, who is heir to the throne, has been fractured since his royal exit.

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"I think King Charles is being pulled apart by both of his sons," Pelham Turner explained. "The British public in some ways, I feel, wants Charles to metaphorically knock his two sons’ heads together."

British royal expert Hilary Fordwich pointed out to Fox News Digital that Harry will instantly be met with challenges if he ever chooses to move forward with becoming an American citizen.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, delivers the keynote address during the 2020 U.N. Nelson Mandela Prize ceremony at the United Nations in New York July 18, 2022. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP)

In May 2023, the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, filed a lawsuit demanding that the Department of Homeland Security release Harry's immigration records. It cited suspicions the Biden administration allowed him to enter the U.S. despite his admission of illegal drug use. This factor would usually be enough to deny other people entry.

The Heritage Foundation also argued that DHS failed to comply with previous requests for documents related to the agency's decision to let Harry stay in the country.

The Freedom of Information Act requests were made following the release of "Spare," in which Harry admitted to using cocaine, psychedelics and marijuana.

Prince Harry has gone to his home country on several occasions, including for his father's coronation in May. (Ben Stansall)

When filling out a visa application, drug abuse is supposed to be documented in detail and would normally trigger a special review if not rejection of the application. However, the group is suspicious that Harry was either not honest on his visa application or that the Biden administration gave him preferential treatment.

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The lawsuit lists some of those high-profile examples, like Kate Moss and John Lennon, who had trouble obtaining an American visa because of drug use.

"If it came from the Biden administration … one could be pretty sure that a Republican administration wouldn’t look as favorably on a titled crown prince," Fordwich suggested.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been living in California, where the duchess is originally from, since 2020. (Getty Images)

On Friday, a lawyer for the Biden administration argued that "Spare" is not proof Harry used drugs, The Telegraph reported. According to the outlet, Harry could have embellished his accounts to sell books.

On Saturday, former U.S. President Donald Trump spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference where he criticized the Biden administration for being "too gracious" to the Sussexes.

"I wouldn’t protect him," said the 77-year-old, as quoted by U.K.'s Express.

Trump insisted that the Biden administration gave the couple special privileges to live in the U.S.

"I think they have been too gracious to him after what he has done," he noted.

Harry has returned to his home country on several occasions following his move to California. Most recently, he flew to the U.K. after Buckingham Palace announced the king, 75, was diagnosed with cancer.

"I spoke to him," Harry told GMA. "And I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could.

"Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane, go and see him, and spend any time with him — I’m grateful for that."

When asked for more details about his father's health, Harry replied, "That stays between me and him."

Fox News Digital's Brianna Herlihy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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