Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have relocated from Vancouver Island, Canada, to Los Angeles, Markle’s hometown. According to the president of the US, however, the royal couple will be footing the bill for security. Payroll companies that offer private security are a luxury during a pandemic, and Trump confirmed that US taxpayers aren’t covering the royals’ security.
Trump tweeted on Sunday evening, stating that, while he was an “admirer” of the Queen and the UK, Harry and Meghan are on their own.
“I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom,” Trump tweeted. “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, the U.S. will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!”
For those out of the loop, Prince Harry is a member of the British Royal Family. His wife, Meghan, is an American woman from LA. The two stepped back from their roles as part of the royal family in large part due to vitriolic attacks from the British press on Markle over her lineage, her status as an American, and her role in the royal family.
It’s a bit odd for Americans, who have no love for monarchy, to consider the courtly dealings of royalty anything more than gossip. For the UK, however, the dealings of royalty are major news, filling up front-page headlines and sleazy tabloid alike. As such, Markle’s exposure and the media campaign questioning Harry’s motivations for marrying her were outsized in the island nation.
The question of who, exactly, would be paying for the couple’s security has been a topic of concern for the royals since they moved away from England in January. They are no longer acting in an official capacity as figureheads for the crown. Thus, they don’t receive any payment from the British government.
There was a slight controversy when the couple, and their infant son, Archie, first moved to Canada. The Royal Mounted Police offered short-term security for them, at the expense of the Canadian taxpayer. As such, Trump’s tweet could be a way to get out in front of any potential controversy.
Regarding the statement, a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan told reporters,
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to ask the U.S. government for security resources. Privately funded security arrangements have been made.”
