Canada Is Cutting Off Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Security
Ever since stepping back as working members of the royal family, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have lost a lot of privileges. The couple are having to remove the word "royal" from their branding, they ditched their lofty HRH titles, and, now, it appears like they'll also be losing government protection in their new home of Canada.
On Thursday, it was reported by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) that the security they have been providing Meghan, Harry, and their son, Archie, will "cease in the coming weeks." Once the Sussexes officially exit the British monarchy at the end of March, Canada's responsibility to the family of three will no longer exist.
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"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex choosing to re-locate to Canada on a part-time basis presented our government with a unique and unprecedented set of circumstances," reads a statement from the RCMP. "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."
"At the request of the Metropolitan Police, the RCMP has been providing assistance to the Met since the arrival of the Duke and Duchess to Canada intermittently since November 2019. The assistance will cease in the coming weeks, in keeping with their change in status."
Last week, Meghan and Harry made it clear in a joint statement outlining their transition that security is an absolute necessity for keeping their family safe. However, they didn't explain how it was going to be paid for post-exit.
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"It is agreed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to require effective security to protect them and their son," they said. "This is based on The Duke's public profile by virtue of being born into The Royal Family, his military service, the Duchess' own independent profile and the shared threat and risk level documented specifically over the last few years."
So, who is going to be stuck with the bill? It's likely going to Meghan and Harry's responsibility unless the duke's dad, Prince Charles, decides to pick up the tab. It was announced in January that the couple wouldn't be completely cut off, as Charles would be providing private financial support to the entire Sussex family — at least until they found a new way to make a living.
Now would be the time to go ahead and sign off on that Netflix deal.
