Canadian government to stop footing security bill of Meghan Markle and Harry

Meghan Markle Prince Harry
Instagram grab/ Sussex Royal

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped down as royals sending shockwaves across the globe. The couple have found a new home in Canada, which is a state-of-the-art $14 million mansion, and hope to live a life away from the prying eyes of the British media and Buckingham Palace.

Their royal duties will officially come to an end in April 2020 and the two are currently being protected by the Metropolitan Police Service (MET), who have dispatched 15 highly trained guards for their protection. The Canadian government has said that the country has been footing the bill for the security of Meghan and Harry since they landed on their shores on November 2019. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been on duty protecting them.

Canada plans to stop paying for Meghan and Harry's security

Burdened by the huge financial implications to protect Meghan and Harry at the taxpayer's expense, Canada has now decided to stop financing their security. A representative for Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told CBC News in a statement that security for the couple will cease to exist in the coming weeks.

"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."

Who will pay for their security?

Surprisingly, Harry and Meghan's Sussex Royal website says that they would still "require effective security''. However, they did not confirm who would pay for it. The statement on the website read: "It is agreed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to require effective security to protect them and their son." However, there was no clarity as to who the security personnel are, and also no financial map for their security.

The last line on their website regarding their security read: ''No further details can be shared as this is classified information for safety reasons."

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