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Former parliamentary aide charged with spying for China

Beijing has previously hit back at claims of an orchestrated overseas espionage campaign…reports Asian Lite News

London’s Metropolitan Police on Monday said it had charged two men with allegedly spying for China in a move that could stoke new tensions with Beijing.

The charges came as German prosecutors announced the arrest of three German nationals suspected of spying for China and providing access to secret maritime technology. The British pair are accused of breaking the Official Secrets Act 1911 and will appear in a London court on Friday.

Police named the men as Christopher Berry, 32, and Christoper Cash, 29, who previously worked at the UK parliament as a researcher. They are accused of having given “articles, notes, documents or information” to a foreign state. The alleged offenses are said to have taken place between 2021 and last year.

Beijing has previously hit back at claims of an orchestrated overseas espionage campaign.

The Met Police said in September they had arrested a man in his 20s on spying allegations, with the Sunday Times reporting he was a researcher in Britain’s parliament. The newspaper named him as Cash and said he had had contacts with MPs from the ruling Conservative Party.

They included security minister Tom Tugendhat and Alicia Kearns, the chairman of the influential House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. Tugendhat was reported to have only had limited contact with the suspect, and none when he was security minister.

Domestic intelligence service MI5 last year warned that a Chinese government agent called Christine Lee had been “engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, engaging with members here at parliament.”

In July 2023, the Commons intelligence and security committee claimed China was targeting the UK “prolifically and aggressively” and that the government did not have the “resources, expertise or knowledge” to deal with it.

Meanwhile, German authorities said they have arrested three people on suspicion of spying for China.

The main suspect, named as Thomas R, is accused of spying for the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS). Prosecutors allege his network operated a front company which co-operated with German research organisations.

The accused are said to have collected sensitive information, including designs for an engine suitable for use on combat ships, to pass on to China.

In a separate development, two men in the UK were charged with spying for China after being accused of providing information which could be “useful to an enemy”, according to police.

In the German case, prosecutors allege Thomas R obtained “innovative technologies for military use” on behalf of an MSS employee. They also allege he used a company – run by the two other suspects, named as Herwig F and Ina F – which contacted people working in science and research.

A first project regarding the operation of high-performance marine engines for use on combat ships is alleged to have already been completed.

At the time of their arrest, the accused were allegedly in further negotiations on other projects that could be of use for China’s navy, prosecutors said.

They added that the arrests took place in the western German states of Hesse and North-Rhine-Westphalia. The three suspects are also accused of exporting a laser to China, which is banned under EU “dual use” regulations. The rules prohibit sending goods which can be used for military and civilian purposes to certain countries.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the arrests of the three suspects in Germany were a “great success for our counterintelligence”. “The area affected in the current case – innovative technologies from Germany that can be used for military purposes – is particularly sensitive,” she added.

The arrests come a week after Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Beijing, where he raised issues including China’s support for Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.

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Sunak discusses Gaza developments with Jordan’s king

Sunak told the king that the UK’s ultimate goal is to achieve a workable two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday made a phone call to Jordan’s King Abdullah to discuss developments in the Gaza Strip, 10 Downing Street announced.

During the call, Sunak renewed the UK’s support for Jordan’s security and that of the region, saying a significant escalation is “not in anyone’s interests.”

He added that the UK’s focus remains on finding a solution to the conflict in Gaza.

The UK continues to work toward an immediate humanitarian truce to bring in much larger amounts of aid and return the Israeli hostages held by Hamas safely to their families, “leading to a longer-term sustainable ceasefire,” Sunak said.

The two leaders “discussed joint efforts to significantly step up aid to Gaza, with the UK taking part in Jordanian-led aid drops and a humanitarian land corridor to Gaza, as well as the maritime aid corridor from Cyprus,” Downing Street said.

Sunak told the king that the UK’s ultimate goal is to achieve a workable two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.

The two leaders “agreed on the importance of supporting a reformed Palestinian authority to deliver stability and prosperity across the Palestinian territories,” Downing Street said.

King Abdullah warned of the danger of regional escalation, which he said threatens international peace and security, Jordan’s official Petra news agency reported.

He renewed his call for the international community to intensify efforts to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza to alleviate the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged Palestinian territory, and warned of the dangerous consequences of an Israeli assault on Rafah.

The king stressed the need to protect civilians in Gaza and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.

He pointed to the importance of continuing to support the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees to enable it to provide its humanitarian services in accordance with its UN mandate.

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War, fear of war spur global military spending to new record

The increased spending exactly matched the global rate of inflation of 6.8 percent, so it doesn’t necessarily translate into greater military efficacy everywhere…reports Asian Lite News

The world spent $2.4 trillion on military forces last year, the highest amount ever recorded by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

SIPRI has been monitoring military expenditures since 1949 and found in its annual report released on Monday that in 2023 they rose to 2.3 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) from 2.2 percent the year before.

It meant that every man, woman and child on the planet was taxed an average of $306 for military spending last year – the highest rate since the Cold War.

The increased spending exactly matched the global rate of inflation of 6.8 percent, so it doesn’t necessarily translate into greater military efficacy everywhere.

But as SIPRI said, spending was not evenly spread out because “world military expenditure is highly concentrated among a very small group of states”.

The United States remained the biggest spender at $916bn, representing 37 percent of the world’s military outlays. China came second with an estimated $296bn.

Russia was third at $109bn although SIPRI considers this an underestimation “due to the increasing opaqueness of Russian financial authorities since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022”. India came fourth at $83.6bn.

The rate of increase in military spending was also uneven with European budgets ballooning due to the war in Ukraine.

The belligerents

Ukraine increased its defence spending by 51 percent to $64.8bn – not including $35bn in military donations from allies. That meant it was devoting 37 percent of its GDP and nearly 60 percent of all government spending to defence, SIPRI said.

Despite financial aid from Europe, the US and the International Monetary Fund, this was a remarkable feat given that Ukraine lost seven million taxpayers and, according to World Bank figures, a fifth of its economic output in 2022, the first year of the war.

The toll on Russian society was far lower.

Last year, Russia increased military spending by 24 percent to 6.9 percent of its GDP and 16 percent of all government spending. Even though this was the largest defence budget since the Soviet Union was dissolved three decades ago, Russia’s economy also grew by almost 22 percent, thanks to high energy export revenues, lending resilience to its economy.

Russia had already increased its military spending by 9 percent in 2022. The fact that it then budgeted a 21 percent increase in 2023 and actually increased spending by 24 percent suggests that it was continually surprised by the length of the war and the toll of Ukrainian resistance on its armed forces.

Its 2024 budget plans an even bigger increase – 70 percent on defence and security spending – to $157bn, the Reuters news agency reported

Hamas’s attacks on southern Israel on October 7 and Israel’s war in Gaza led to a massive 24 percent defence budget increase in Israel last year to $27.5bn, or 5.3 percent of its GDP.

Saudi Arabia also significantly increased spending.

The two countries contributed to a 9 percent defence budget increase in the Middle East last year, the biggest annual increase in a decade. The Middle East also bears the biggest military burden in the world as a percentage of GDP. At 4.2 percent, it is nearly double the world average.

A transformation in Europe

Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine led Europe’s NATO members to increase military budgets by 16 percent last year to $588bn. This meant they were spending an average of 2.8 percent of GDP on defence, SIPRI said, surpassing the 2 percent threshold NATO set in 2014, although that level of spending wasn’t shared by all members.

This has led to some spectacular increases on the continent.

Poland led the pack with a 75 percent increase last year, pouring 3.9 percent of its GDP into defence. This was partly to pay for a comprehensive $2bn defence modernisation programme of its armed forces under US guidance but also to massively overhaul and increase its arsenal.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Poland has ordered 500 HIMARS rocket launchers from Lockheed Martin, 250 Abrams tanks from General Dynamics as well as rocket launchers, tanks, howitzers and fighter jets from South Korea. In 2020, it signed a $4.6bn deal for F-35 multirole fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.

Finland, which shares NATO’s longest border with Russia, also massively upped defence spending by 54 percent, to 2.4 percent of its GDP. It, too, bought the F-35 as its next generation jet as well as air defence systems, tripling procurement spending in a year.

Other Northern European and Baltic Sea states have massively increased spending in the past year with the United Kingdom leading the region with a 7.9 percent increase last year.

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‘Israel-style iron dome defence system needed in UK’

The UK currently spends just over 2 per cent of GDP on defence, but there are growing calls for this to be increased to at least 2.5 per cent, with some figures pushing for as much as 3 per cent…reports Asian Lite News

Britain should install an Israeli-style “iron dome” missile defence system, Penny Mordaunt has suggested, in an unusual intervention highlighting concerns within the government about the increasingly unstable geopolitical landscape.

Mordaunt, the House of Commons leader and a former Royal Navy reservist, again called for an increase in defence spending, saying the government has a “duty to our citizens” to keep them protected as the world becomes less safe.

The former defence secretary’s comments follow another precarious week in relations between Israel and Iran. On Friday, Israel launched strikes on Iran that hit close to military and nuclear targets deep inside the country, in retaliation for Tehran’s missile and drone attacks days earlier.

With war still raging in Ukraine and no end in sight to the conflict in Gaza, defence figures have been increasing their calls for the UK to bolster its defences, with one senior Conservative MP describing Iran’s strikes as a “wake-up call” for the West.

The UK currently spends just over 2 per cent of GDP on defence, but there are growing calls for this to be increased to at least 2.5 per cent, with some figures pushing for as much as 3 per cent.

Writing for The Sunday Telegraph, in a piece that could be interpreted as a pitch for the future leadership of her party, Ms Mordaunt said the UK must be more ambitious about the amount of resources it puts into defence.

“To those that say, about our defence ambitions, we ‘can’t do’, ‘shouldn’t do’, or ‘can’t afford to do’, I say ‘Look to Israel’ – a nation a fraction of our size that has staved off an attack from a nation 10 times its size,” she told the paper.

“It has made a choice. It has made it work. We may not have its daily reminders of the threats we face, but we have the same duty to our citizens,” she added. “Israel’s defence is our defence, and we must be ready to defend our allies the same way that we would defend ourselves, as we did last weekend.”

Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel last Saturday, but nearly all of them were taken out, largely by Israel’s formidable Iron Dome system with support from the country’s allies, including the UK. The combined effort eliminated targets over the skies of Iraq and Syria under Operation Shader.

The Iron Dome system, developed with backing from the US, specialises in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted a vast number of rockets since it was activated early in the last decade – including thousands during the current war against Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90 per cent.

A battery of Tamir interceptor missiles, forming part of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system, in Ashkelon, southern Israel

The Iron Dome is supported by the Arrow system, which is designed to intercept long-range missiles including the types of ballistic missiles Iran said it had launched against Israel.

The defence system is extremely expensive to maintain and operate. Reem Aminoach, a former brigadier general and chief financial adviser to the head of the Israeli military, told Bloomberg that it would have cost Israel around $1bn (£808m) to thwart Iran’s attack, with some interceptor missiles costing $3.5m (£2.8m) alone.

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Sunak set for week-long blitz of announcements  

Sunak is undertaking a week-long blitz of activity and announcements at home and abroad in a bid to convince a sceptical party he has the ideas to continue as PM…reports Asian Lite News

Rishi Sunak is undertaking a week-long blitz of activity and announcements at home and abroad in a bid to convince a sceptical party he has the ideas and drive to continue as prime minister.

After weeks of criticism about an empty legislative agenda, an inability to set the agenda, and divisions in the Tory Party dominating the headlines, this week “action man” Sunak will seek to take back control with news conferences, interviews and announcements.

On Monday, the PM will hold a news conference to champion the likely passage into law of the emergency Rwanda legislation first announced last year.

Then on Tuesday, he will embark on a two-day European trip, beginning in Warsaw, with a major announcement planned as part of the trip.

Some sources expect the announcement to be defence-related, possibly around jointly training troops and sharing equipment with Poland and the West Balkans.

This is Sunak’s first major trip to the world stage in months, apart from a brief visit to Ukraine. It follows his first set-piece speech outside the Commons last Friday about welfare reform.

Many of the ideas there were designed for the manifesto and to be implemented in the next parliament in the unlikely event the Tories win.

The looming spectre of a challenge has led to some conversations about holding the election over the summer, with the starting gun fired possibly even announced before the local elections.

This remains unlikely, however, since it would be possible for the opposition to present this as a move prompted by panic, and the Tories remain around 20 points behind in the polls.

Therefore appealing to his party to allow him to stay in the job, by showing a blizzard of action and announcements, is a priority for Sunak amid continued speculation about his party’s unhappiness.

Some 57 Tory MPs voted against his flagship smoking ban policy last week, with a further more than 100 abstaining, in a sign of his lack of grip on the party.

Former Tory MP Menzies quits  

Meanwhile, The former Conservative MP Mark Menzies is quitting the party and parliament after an internal inquiry found a “pattern of behaviour” that had fallen below the standard expected of MPs.

The MP for Fylde announced that he would not stand at the next election after the allegations that he misused campaign funds were referred to Lancashire police.

The Tory party said the internal investigation had not found any misuse of party funds and that the evidence it seen had shown all donations had been properly declared to the Electoral Commission and parliamentary authorities.

However, its inquiry into the allegations, which Menzies denies, found the MP’s behaviour had fallen below the standards required of any individual responsible for local campaign funds and may have breached the Nolan principles of public life.

Labour had accused the Tories of “sitting on their hands” for more than three months after the claims first emerged, while the Liberal Democrats called for the prime minister’s independent adviser on ministers’ interests to investigate the handling of the row.

A Conservative spokesperson said it was “demonstrably false” to suggest the party had not been “seriously examining” the matter. The party has only investigated the possible misuse of Conservative party funds.

The MP resigned the Tory whip and was suspended as a government trade envoy after the Times published allegations he had used political donations to cover medical expenses and pay off “bad people” who had locked him in a flat and demanded thousands of pounds for his release.

Menzies’ former campaign manager, who allegedly received a late-night phone call from him asking for cash, has said she felt “let down” by the party after she raised concerns with the chief whip, Simon Hart, in January.

In a statement, Menzies said: “It has been an enormous privilege representing the people of Fylde since 2010, but due to the pressures on myself and my elderly mother, I have decided to resign from the Conservative party and will not stand at the forthcoming general election.

“This has been a very difficult week for me and I request that my family’s privacy is respected.”

Menzies has a majority of more than 16,000 in his seat, which the Tories have always held but which, with Labour about 20 points ahead in the national polls, could for the first time be in contention.

Rishi Sunak declined to say on Friday whether Menzies should quit as MP for Fylde, although he told reporters after a speech in London on Friday that it was “right” that he had resigned the whip.

A Conservative party spokesperson said: “The money in question that was sent to Mark Menzies MP was signed off by the two signatories of Fylde Westminster Group. This body sits outside the remit of both the Conservative party and Fylde Conservative Association. Therefore we cannot conclude that there has been a misuse of Conservative party funds.

On Sunday evening the chair of the Labour party, Anneliese Dodds, said Menzies “did the right thing” in deciding to leave parliament but that “serious questions remain for Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party”.

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UK returns looted Ghana artefacts on loan after 150 years

Nigeria is also negotiating the return of thousands of 16th to 18th-century metal objects looted from the ancient kingdom of Benin and currently held by museums and art collectors across the United States and Europe…reports Asian Lite News

The United Kingdom has returned 32 gold and silver treasures stolen from the Asante Kingdom more than 150 years ago in what is today’s Ghana on a six-year loan, Ghanaian negotiators have said.

The artefacts, comprising 15 items from the British Museum and 17 from the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), were looted from the court of the Asante king during the turbulent 19th-century clashes between the British and the Asante people.

Ghanaian authorities have for years tried to reclaim gold treasures looted by British soldiers from the Asante kingdom, which is also known as Ashanti.

The accord will see the relics, including gold and silver regalia associated with the Asante Royal Court, showcased at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region, as part of the yearlong celebration honouring the king’s silver jubilee.

Ivor Agyeman-Duah, the chief negotiator, confirmed the items’ return, telling the AFP news agency on Saturday that they were given to the palace on loan.

It comes as international momentum and campaigning has grown for museums and institutions to have African artefacts returned from former colonial powers.

Nigeria is also negotiating the return of thousands of 16th to 18th-century metal objects looted from the ancient kingdom of Benin and currently held by museums and art collectors across the United States and Europe.

Two years ago, Benin received two dozen treasures and artworks stolen in 1892 by French colonial forces during the sacking of the royal Palace of Abomey.

“These cherished artefacts, which hold immense cultural and spiritual significance for the Ashanti people, are here as part of a loan agreement for an initial three years and renewable for another three,” Agyeman-Duah said.

“It marks a significant moment in our efforts to reclaim and preserve our heritage, fostering a renewed sense of pride and connection to our rich history,” he added, noting that the exhibition will be held from May 1.

The returned items include a 300-year-old Mponponso sword used in swearing-in ceremonies.

A gold peace pipe and gold discs worn by officials responsible for cleansing the king’s soul are also among 17 items the V&A plans to lend to the Ghanaian museum.

Objects selected from the British Museum consist mainly of royal regalia looted from the palace in Kumasi during the Anglo-Asante wars. The items will be loaned under two separate three-year agreements.

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Sunak has set us back, says climate watchdog head

The Government remains formally committed to reaching net zero by 2050, but has delayed a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles and weakened targets on home insulation and phasing out gas boilers…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has set Britain back on tackling climate change and must do more on heating and industrial emissions to stop slipping behind other nations, the head of the government’s advisory body has said.

Chris Stark, who will step down as chief executive of the independent Climate Change Committee next week, told the BBC broadcaster that UK climate policy had become less ambitious.

“That is extremely hard to recover,” Stark said, according to excerpts from the interview due to air on Sunday. “I think it’s set us back.”

Under pressure to address cost-of-living concerns and trailing the opposition Labour Party before an election later this year, Sunak has outraged environmental campaigners by watering down some measures to reach net zero emissions.

He says delaying targets for changing cars and domestic heating are pragmatic moves needed to maintain the consent of the British people, with the country’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050 still intact.

Stark, who has run the committee since April 2018 but will now join consultancy the Carbon Trust as chief executive later this year, said Britain needed to do more work on how homes were heated and industrial emissions managed, as well as in the farming and transport systems.

“I definitely feel we’re at risk,” he said.

Asked about Stark’s comments, a government spokesperson said Britain was the first major economy to halve greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 and had set into law one of the most ambitious 2035 climate change targets.

“But we need to reach our net zero goals in a sustainable way so we have taken action to protect our energy security, ease the burdens on hard-working people and provide transparency about the choices involved so that we bring people with us in meeting our climate targets,” the spokesperson added.

The Government remains formally committed to reaching net zero by 2050, but has delayed a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles and weakened targets on home insulation and phasing out gas boilers.

In his speech in October, Sunak said the changes were a more “pragmatic, proportionate, and realistic approach to meeting net zero” that reduced the burden on the public.

A Government spokesperson said: “Our record on net zero speaks for itself – we are the first major economy to halve greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 and have set into law one of the most ambitious 2035 climate change targets of any major economy.

“But we need to reach our net zero goals in a sustainable way so we have taken action to protect our energy security, ease the burdens on hard-working people and provide transparency about the choices involved so that we bring people with us in meeting our climate targets.”

In his interview with the BBC, Stark said the Scottish Government’s decision to remove some of its own climate change targets provided a “salutary lesson”.

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UK’s most lethal tank rolls off the production lines

The first tank is already showing its capabilities on trials. All will be tested under operational conditions to validate their performance and make refinements, before another 140 are built and delivered to the British Army…reports Asian Lite News

With advanced armour and devastating firepower, the Challenger 3 boasts an impressive range of state-of-the-art technology, making it the most lethal and survivable tank ever operated by the British Army.

The latest of eight Challenger 3 prototypes rolled off the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land factory production line in Telford as the Defence Secretary had an opportunity to meet the engineers and apprentices who have worked on this crucial programme.

The first tank is already showing its capabilities on trials. All will be tested under operational conditions to validate their performance and make refinements, before another 140 are built and delivered to the British Army.

“In a more dangerous world, the need for vehicles such as the Challenger 3 is imperative, as the threats facing the UK evolve. This tank will be at the heart of the British Army’s warfighting capabilities and will be integral to the UK’s deterrence,” said Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

“The hard work and dedication on show in Telford and across the country is instrumental in driving forward UK defence innovation and delivering for our forces in the frontline.”

Providing the Army’s Main Battle Tank, the Challenger 3 will remain in service until at least 2040.  This third iteration of the Challenger series includes a state-of-the-art turret with a more capable smoothbore gun, which is compatible with NATO ammunition, as well as improved armour and sensors.

The Army’s Director Programmes, Major General Jon Swift OBE said: “Challenger 3 will be at the heart of the Army’s Armoured Brigade Combat Teams, alongside Ajax and Boxer, and is critical to the Army’s warfighting capability and the UK’s contribution to NATO. The delivery of these prototype vehicles, the first of which has already started trials, marks a significant milestone on the Army’s modernisation journey.”

Director General Land for Defence, Equipment and Support, Lieutenant General Simon Hamilton CBE said: “Delivering the capability the Army needs to be more lethal is vital in an increasingly uncertain and dangerous world. The Challenger 3 Programme is a cornerstone of the Army’s Future Soldier modernisation, and I am delighted to see the Army, DE&S and RBSL collaborating together to provide our soldiers with a world-class Main Battle Tank made here in the UK.”

Challenger 3 is being delivered by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) under a £800 million contract, creating a number of highly skilled roles, with nearly 300 jobs generated within RBSL, including 130 engineers and 70 technicians, with an additional 450 jobs across the UK.

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‘We must start with fixing the immediate crisis in Gaza’

Gaza, designated as Occupied Palestinian Territory, holds significant importance in the establishment of a future Palestinian state…reports Asian Lite News

UK Ambassador to UN Barbara Woodward emphasised the urgency of addressing the immediate crisis in Gaza as a crucial step towards progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United Kingdom reiterated its unwavering commitment to advancing towards a two-state solution, fostering a scenario where a secure Israel coexists harmoniously with a sovereign, viable Palestinian state.

In a recent UN Security Council meeting, Ambassador Woodward underscored the importance of offering the people of the West Bank and Gaza a credible path towards a Palestinian state and a promising future, stressing the necessity for irreversible measures. While acknowledging that the recognition of Palestinian statehood is pivotal, the UK emphasized that such recognition should not mark the beginning nor the end of the peace process but rather be integrated into the broader framework of progress.

Gaza, designated as Occupied Palestinian Territory, holds significant importance in the establishment of a future Palestinian state. However, challenges persist as Hamas maintains control over parts of Gaza, and Israeli hostages remain in captivity, indicating that the journey towards lasting peace is still at its nascent stage.

The UK asserted that ensuring Hamas relinquishes control over Gaza and dismantling its capacity to launch attacks against Israel are indispensable steps towards achieving sustainable peace. Additionally, collaborating to bolster the new Palestinian government’s efforts in implementing reforms and resuming governance in both Gaza and the West Bank is deemed crucial.

The UK’s abstention on the resolution underscores the imperative of focusing efforts on securing an immediate pause to facilitate aid delivery and hostage release. The aim is to pave the way for progress towards a sustainable ceasefire, averting further destruction, conflict, and loss of life.

Highlighting diplomatic efforts, the UK revealed that its Foreign Secretary recently visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to extend support towards these objectives. The UK affirmed its commitment to urgently fostering peace and catalyzing a political process aimed at achieving a two-state solution that ensures justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

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Prince Harry renounces British residency

This legal move comes amidst ongoing discussions about the couple’s status within the royal family and their future plans…reports Asian Lite News

Prince Harry has officially declared the United States as his primary residence, marking a significant step in his separation from the British royal family.

According to documents obtained by Page Six, the Duke of Sussex listed the US as his “new country/state usually resident,” a notable change from his previous ties to the UK.

The paperwork, filed by Companies House for Harry’s eco-travel venture, Travalyst, indicates that this residency shift occurred on June 29, 2023, following Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from their UK home, Frogmore Cottage, the day prior.

This legal move comes amidst ongoing discussions about the couple’s status within the royal family and their future plans.

While the impact of renouncing his British residency on Harry’s royal titles remains uncertain, there’s speculation that he may address this issue during an upcoming visit to London, as per Page Six.

Despite this change, Harry has expressed conflicting sentiments about his connection to the UK, acknowledging it as his “home” but citing safety concerns that prompted their move to the US.

In December 2023, Harry emphasized the importance of his children’s heritage and safety while on UK soil, despite their current residence in the US.

However, the prince has also shown interest in obtaining American citizenship, although he views it as a secondary priority at present.

Yet, Harry’s past admissions of drug use, detailed in his memoir ‘Spare,’ raise questions about the ease of his immigration process.

While some legal experts suggest minimal impact unless he faces further legal issues, concerns linger regarding potential repercussions, including the need to renounce his royal titles to fulfil US citizenship requirements, as per a report by Page Six. (ANI)

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