The price to pay. Can Prince Harry really become an American citizen?

He has been living in Montecito, California for four years. In an interview with “Good Morning America” ​​on February 16, Prince Harry announced that he is even considering applying for American citizenship. “The idea of ​​applying for US citizenship has crossed my mind, but it’s certainly not a priority for me at this point,” he told reporter Will Reeve. Meghan Markle’s husband said that he found his life in the USA “wonderful”. When asked about feeling American, the Duke of Sussex put the kibosh on it anyway. “If I feel like an American. he answered. No. I don’t know how I feel.”

Relinquish your noble titles

If, however, the Duke of Sussex decides to start the process of becoming an American citizen, he may be forced to give up his titles of nobility, the magazine said. People , Wednesday, February 21. “Any applicant who holds nobility or other noble status in a foreign country must renounce such titles or this status,” the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Procedures Manual states.

It adds: “The applicant must expressly renounce his peerage in a public ceremony, and USCIS must record this renunciation as part of the procedure. Not renouncing these titles would show non-attachment to the Constitution.” When taking the oath of allegiance, those who hold titles of nobility must declare thus: “I further relinquish the title (…) I previously held” or “I further relinquish the (…) status I held until now.”

Questionable rule

According to attorney Alphonse Provincialiano, this rule could still be challenged. “It’s a law passed by Congress,” he continued. But the Constitution only says that Congress cannot grant foreign titles. It doesn’t say anything about being a foreign national or having a title of nobility when you become a US citizen.” The scholar believed that it was possible to challenge this rule “under the 14th Amendment (clause affirming the need to guarantee equal protection to all persons within the territory of the United States, editor’s note;)”.

If Prince Harry were to apply for American citizenship, he said, this point would have to be emphasized, while stressing that the country would “treat him differently than others,” forcing him to give up his titles of nobility. Alphonse Provinziano further clarified that American citizens can already receive a peerage from a foreign government, as was the case with Meghan Markle, an American citizen who became the Duchess of Sussex. His children, Archie and Lilibeth, once became princes and princesses of the United States.

Before the Supreme Court

But then, if Prince Harry were to become an American, would the Duchess of Sussex and her children also have to give up their peerages? “There is no Supreme Court decision interpreting this section of the code simply because there have only been about a dozen American citizens in the history of the country who have held the title of prince or princess,” the lawyer replied. This is something that could theoretically go all the way to the Supreme Court because they have to review the law to make sure it’s constitutional.”

Should Prince Harry and Meghan Markle give up their peerages, they would face the difficult choice of changing the name of their new website Sussex.com and the surnames of their children, Archie and Lilybeth. so is Sussex, or say goodbye to American citizenship for good. The most important decision since Prince Harry and his wife have been repeatedly accused of exploiting their titles of nobility.