Canadian officials say they won't provide security for Prince Harry and his wife Meghan when they step back from royal duties.
A spokeswoman for Canada's public safety minister said Thursday ``the assistance will cease in the coming weeks, in keeping with their change in status.'' Harry and Meghan, say they will walk away from most royal duties starting March 31, give up public funding and try to become financially independent.
In a statement to NEWSTALK 1010, the Office of the Minister of Public Safety says, "“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. 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.”
It's unclear how much the security cost Canadian taxpayers up until this point, but there are some reports that indicate security for Harry and Meghan, could be up to $10million a year.
With files from Canadian Press