Harry and Meghan must pay for their $7.9M-a-year security, demands petition signed by 80,000 Canadians
More than 80,000 Canadians have signed a petition that demands Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to pay for their own security in light of 'Megxit'.
The couple, who recently made the decision to step down as senior members of the royal family, are currently being protected by a team of six British bodyguards and Canadian mounties. However, taxpayers and MPs in Canada are alarmed after it was revealed that Harry and Meghan's security cost could be around $7,9 million (£6 million) per year.
Thousands of Canadians decided to join an online campaign calling out the couple and telling them to pay their security bills themselves. Protests increased as removals experts shared that it would cost the couple around £300,000 in order to relocate their high-value possessions from Windsor to Vancouver.
According to First Move International, the insurance premiums on shipping Harry and Meghan's artwork, jewelry and personal effects would alone be around £200,000. It is not known whether British taxpayers would also be forced into paying the removals money. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation had launched the petition while the MP for Victoria on Vancouver Island, Laurel Collins, tried to block security cash handouts.
"I hope that they're planning on covering their security costs. When it comes to the money our government spends and taxpayer money it's important that we put this into context and think about our priorities. That we're prioritizing making life more affordable for people and that we're spending our tax dollars on the things that really matter to Canadians," Collins shared, reports The Sun.
Over six days around 80,000 online signatories backed the petition that called for "no taxpayer support" for the couple. The petition was followed by a poll that revealed that 73% of Canadians do not want to contribute anything towards the cost. Federation spokesman Aaron Wudrick shared, "Canadians are pleased to welcome the Duke and Duchess to Canada, but have made it crystal clear that taxpayers should not be forced to support them while they are living here."
"Our view is that Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau needs to respect the wishes of Canadians and make clear that while the Duke and Duchess are welcome in Canada, they must pay their own way," Wudrick added.