Here's everything to know...
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made news earlier this year as they announced that they were planning on stepping down from their roles as ‘senior’ members of the royal family, hoping to become financially independent.
It was then announced by Buckingham Palace that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be losing their HRH titles following a new deal, and repaying ‘Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage’.
Releasing an official statement, Buckingham Palace announced: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.’
The royal couple have since relocated to Canada, living a peaceful month with baby Archie, returning in the next weeks to carry out their final duties as senior royal family members.
There have been ongoing debates about who should pay for Harry and Meghan’s security now that they are based in Canada, but with their needs ramping up, looked after by 24 hour security, there has been growing backlash.
This week, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced that they will cease to provide the Sussex family with protection in March, coinciding with their end of royal service.
‘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,’ read the statement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, via CBC. ‘The RCMP has been engaged with officials in the UK from the very beginning regarding security considerations.’
The statement continued: ‘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.’
Going forward, it seems that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will have to pay for their own security, but given how much they are predicted to make by Instagram posts alone, we’re sure they will manage it.
