Prince Harry in 'unchartered territory' amid warning Trump could use 'formidable powers'

The new US president-elect Donald Trump has previously suggested Prince Harry could be deported from America in a row over his visa - and experts have given their verdict on whether this could actually happen

With Donald Trump headed back to the White House, the world awaits his first move as president - and among them will be Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

During his election campaign, Trump has been outspoken in his opinion of the Sussexes with scathing words about them. And it appears the outcome of the vote could prove to be life-changing for Harry and Meghan as the president-elect once suggested he would deport the Duke of Sussex from the country.

In recent months, Harry has found himself in the centre of a row over his visa, which allows him to live in California. After admitting to using marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms in his controversial memoir Spare, a lawsuit from the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation argued that the US Government should release records about the Duke's visa US application to show whether his drug use was disclosed.

Before a ruling was made in the case, Trump raged at the Biden administration for maintaining the privacy of Harry's immigration application in order to "protect Harry". In an interview with GB News when asked if there would be any "special privileges" for the prince, Trump said: "No. We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action."

So what action could the president-elect take and could he really get him deported? One renowned expert on US constitutional history previously told The Telegraph: "The powers of the president are very formidable." He added that he was sure "Trump would utilise them" but was unable to predict how.

Meanwhile, immigration lawyer Christi Hufford Jackson from firm Laura Devine Immigration does not believe Harry's drug-taking admissions in Spare would affect his visa status. But she did send a warning, telling the publication: "Could Trump say ‘I want you to look into his previous application?’ I don’t think he would have grounds to do so here.

"But could a president push buttons below and put pressure on a government agency which reports to him to get it re-examined? Potentially. The problem is that this is completely unchartered territory."

In September, a judge made a ruling in the visa case saying that Harry's visa documents should remain private. However, the Heritage Foundation has made another court filing saying it was not granted access to private submissions made to the judge by the Biden administration.

The 13-page motion was filed last month and says that the case was 'unique' and complex but adds there is "ample evidence of agency bad faith" meaning this "severely compromises [Heritage's] ability to prepare arguments on appeal".

The lawsuit was originally brought by the Heritage Foundation after a Freedom of Information request for the Duke's records was rejected by the Department for Homeland Security (DHS). In his bombshell memoir, Harry confessed that cocaine "didn't do anything for me", adding: "Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me." He also recounts an experience with magic mushrooms, saying: "I stared at the bin. It stared back. 'What-staring? ' Then it became... a head. I stepped on the pedal and the head opened its mouth. A huge open grin."

US visa applications specifically ask the individual about current and past drug use, which can have a detrimental impact on the progress of the application. Prolific drug use can lead to applications being rejected, however, immigration officers use their discretion against a range of factors.