Harry and Meghan will become a distant memory as UK battles coronavirus pandemic, says royal expert
Harry and Meghan Markle are at the risk of becoming "a distant memory" to other members of the royal family who are focussing on helping combat the deadly coronavirus pandemic back home.
This comes at a time when President Donald Trump recently made it clear that the US will not be liable to foot their million-dollar security bill after the couple moved to Los Angeles, California, last week.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the transition from their Vancouver Island home just days before the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau closed his country's borders. The couple, with their son, Archie, has currently hunkered down in a "secluded compound" amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic across the globe.
The move also made a lot of sense since California is Meghan's homeland and her mother, Doria Ragland, lives there, who will be a big help when it comes to taking care of Archie.
But the question remained of who will be responsible to pay for their security. Taking to Twitter, the POTUS made it clear that the burden will not fall on the taxpayers of the US. “I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom. It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the U.S. however, [sic] the U.S. will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!” Trump wrote on March 29.
At this, a Sussexes spokesperson said: “The duke and duchess have no plans to ask the US government for security resources. Privately funded security arrangements have been made.”
Around the same time royal biographer, Penny Junor said that Harry and Meghan will be low on the royal family’s list of priorities after their official departure from royal duties on March 31. This is just as well since Harry is sixth in line to the throne and the one next in line — Prince Charles — is on self-quarantine after being diagnosed with coronavirus last week.
“I think for the time being Harry and Meghan probably will become a distant memory. It’s very sad. The royal family definitely has a role to play in crises like this. It’s a great morale boost to have words from the Queen or words from William and to watch his children clapping the NHS workers. It’s important," Express reported Junor as saying.
In addition, Junor described Harry as “a very caring, nurturing sort of person."
Meanwhile, the Duke was forced to issue a video statement in which he apologized to athletes who were due to participate in now-delayed Invictus Games in The Hague in May.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision for all of us to have to make, and I am so grateful for everyone that’s worked so hard over the last couple of weeks to try and find any alternative to try and carry out these games in a safe way. But this decision was the most sensible and the safest option, for all of you, for your families, and everybody else involved in these games,” he said.
It was recently reported that Harry and Meghan are planning to announce their new brand and charity on Instagram this week, according to Daily Mail, after stating in January that they want to earn their own money after quitting the royal family.