Harry and Meghan will no longer receive protection from Canadian police after change in royal status
Canada has declined to pay for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's security when they step down as senior working members of the royal family on March 31.
The government revealed the news on Thursday, February 27. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been protecting the pair and their baby boy Archie ever since they moved to Canada in November 2019. However, this arrangement will be coming to end in the coming weeks. It is not clear who will be paying for the security after.
Harry and Meghan could be forced to pay for the security themselves or forced to use money from the Duchy of Cornwall which is a fund that was started by Harry's father, Prince Charles. The RCMP revealed that they had been protecting the couple at their $14 million mansion located on Vancouver Island.
They added they had done so as they were requested by London's Metropolitan Police as they were so-called "Internationally Protected Persons." As per a statement to CBC, the RCMP shared that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to move to Canada part-time had placed the government in a "unique and unprecedented set of circumstances."
The statement revealed, "The RCMP has been engaged with officials in the UK from the very beginning regarding security considerations. As the Duke and Duchess are currently recognized as Internationally Protected Persons, Canada has an obligation to provide security assistance on an as-needed basis."
"The assistance will cease in the coming weeks, in keeping with their change in status," it said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had earlier assured the Queen that her grandson and his family would be safe in Canada with the country expected to pay around half of the estimated $1.3 million annual bill.
Tensions have been rising after the Canadian Taxpayers Federation came forward with a petition with around 80,000 signatures to the Prime Minister's office saying that the Canadian taxpayer money should not be used for Harry and Meghan.