Published 08:36 IST, March 30th 2020
'They must pay!': Trump tells Prince Harry & Meghan Markle to cough up for security in US
US President Donald Trump on Saturday has said that the United States administration will not pay for the security of the erstwhile royals after their US move
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, had recently decided to leave the United Kingdom and move to Canada, in a high-profile decision. However, in a recent development, the erstwhile royals appeared to have shifted their base to the US. Taking note of the development, US President Donald Trump on Sunday has said that the United States administration will not pay for the security of the royal couple adding that the couple will have to bear the expenses for their security.
Reacting to Trump’s statement, a spokesperson for the couple has reportedly said that they have no plans to ask the US government for security resources and have arranged for private security detail.
The former Duke and Duchess of Sussex seemed to have moved from Vancouver Island to Los Angeles last week ahead of Canada's border closure due to Coronavirus. Meghan Markle was raised in Los Angeles and her mother continues to live there. It is estimated that the cost of the security for the ex-royal couple sums up to whopping one million dollars a year. Had they remained part of the British royal family, they would have been entitled to protection from armed US Secret Service agents during their time in America for having the status of being internationally protected.
The couple had baffled the royal family in early January with an announcement of stepping down from their roles as senior royals. After their decision to step down, they are no more entitled to receive public funds from the monarchy's funding mechanism either.
Meghan Markle who married Prince Harry in 2018 had criticized Trump during 2016 election campaign calling his campaign as ‘misogynistic and divisive’. Moreover, Prince Harry allegedly falling for a prank call from Russian Hoaxers who posed as activist Greta Thunberg and her father and apparently said on the tape that Donald Trump has “blood on his hands”.
Updated 09:00 IST, March 30th 2020