British Royal, Prince Harry renounces British residency, declares US is his ‘new country’

Once upon a time in the land of tea and crumpets, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex and fifth in line to the British throne, decided to officially renounce his British residency and declare the United States as his new home. This royal revelation came in April 2024, with Harry updating his residency status on paperwork filed with Travalyst, a sustainable travel organization he founded in 2019.

This move by the prince, who is married to the American actress Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has been a long time coming. The couple, along with their two children, Archie and Lilibet, had been living in California since 2020, after stepping back from their roles as senior members of the British Royal Family.

The documents filed by Travalyst Ltd, a company at least 75% owned by Harry, officially confirmed Harry’s new status as a U.S. resident. This declaration was backdated to June 29, 2023, which happens to be the day Harry and Meghan were evicted from Frogmore Cottage by King Charles. The timing of this “date of change” suggests that Harry’s decision to officially renounce his British residency might have been influenced by this royal eviction.

This change in residency status also has implications for Harry’s role as one of King Charles’s counsellors of state – members of the royal family who can be deputized to carry out the duties of the monarch if he is unwell or out of the country. With his new residency status, questions have been raised about Harry’s eligibility to continue in this role, especially since maintaining UK citizenship is a requirement.

In addition to the official paperwork filed with Travalyst, Harry also made his first public remarks since his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, revealed her cancer diagnosis. In a video link at the annual general meeting of Travalyst, Harry spoke about the importance of sustainable tourism and the need to support local communities.

Despite the significant implications of his decision, Harry seems to be settling well into his new life in the U.S., with reports indicating that he has been seen out and about in recent weeks, including filming a new show about the game of polo for Netflix. The change in residency marks a significant step in Harry and Meghan’s journey away from the British Royal Family and their establishment of a new life across the pond.