The Daily Telegraph - Saturday
King’s illness could unify the Royal family again, says Harry
Duke of Sussex reveals he spoke to his father about his diagnosis before flying to London to visit him
THE King’s illness could unify the Royal family, the Duke of Sussex has suggested, as he told an American breakfast show audience about his trip back to Britain to see his father.
The Duke opened his comments with confirmation that “I love my family”, before saying he had spoken to the King about his diagnosis before a flight to see him. Asked on Good Morning America, a breakfast chat show, whether family illness could have a re-unifying effect
“in this case” he replied: “Yeah, I’m sure.”
Last night, it was claimed that Prince Harry had told friends he was willing to take on some official duties to help his father during his illness.
It is understood that no such offer had been discussed formally, with a source pointing to agreements made at the time of the Sandringham summit that there would be no “half in, half out” arrangement for members of the Royal family.
Prince Harry also said he had “considered” applying for American citizenship, in a move that would compel him to renounce his titles.
The Duke’s television interview, 10 days after his 30-minute meeting with the King, was filmed in Whistler, Canada, for an event promoting the Invictus Games. “The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that,” he said.
Buckingham Palace has not given details about the King’s cancer diagnoses. When asked about his “outlook”, the Duke replied: “That stays between me and him.”
The Duke has been accompanied by a US film crew led by Will Reeve, the son of the late Superman star Christopher Reeve, who asked him how he had received news of his father’s illness.
“I spoke to him,” said the Duke. “I jumped on a plane and went to go and see him as soon as I could.” Asked about the possibility of family unity, the Duke appeared to gesture at the Invictus Games group of sick and wounded veterans to add: “I think any illness, any sickness brings families together.”
When asked about his life in America, something he described as “amazing”, and whether he had contemplated becoming a US citizen, the Duke said: “I have considered it, yeah… The American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but certainly not something that’s a high priority for me right now,” he said.
According to policy published by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, an application would require him to renounce his title. It would be one resolution to the complaints about the Sussexes, who continue to use their titles despite their public criticism of the Royal family and institution.
US immigration policy states that “any applicant who has any titles of
‘I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that’
heredity or positions of nobility in any foreign state must renounce the title or the position”. Christi Hufford Jackson, head of the US Immigration Practice at Laura Devine Immigration in London, said if the Duke was actively pursuing US citizenship, he would need to renounce his title and order of nobility.
But, she added: “It would be a matter of UK law whether he would be giving up his position in line to the throne – his place in the queue.”
Acquiring US citizenship could lead to the Duke paying tax in two countries. Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, renounced his own American citizenship in 2015, in part over high tax bills.
Prince Harry’s US visa is already a subject of controversy after a conservative American think tank argued his application should be made public as a result of his admission, in his memoir, of previously taking drugs.
Asked how he “processed” what was going on with his family in the UK, Prince Harry replied: “I have my own family, as we all do. My family, and my life in California is as it is. The kids are doing great, growing like all kids do very, very fast. They’ve both got an incredible sense of humour, make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day, as most kids do.”