Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Respond to Donald Trump's Comments About Publicly-Funded Security
On Sunday, Donald Trump tweeted about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, appearing to accuse them of trying to receive U.S. government-funded security services, now that they're residing in L.A.
"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!" the tweet read.
I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom. 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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2020
However, a spokesperson for the couple notes that they were never intending to use the U.S.'s publicly-funded resources. "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to ask the U.S. government for security resources," the spokesperson said. "Privately funded security arrangements have been made."
Security costs have been a sticking point in the past for the Duke and Duchess, ever since they announced their intention to step back from their roles as working royals. At the time of their announcement, they launched a website seeming to detail their "new working model," though their fellow royals had yet to sign on to the plan. Shortly thereafter, the section about security was edited to exclude a claim that Harry and Meghan were "classified as internationally protected people," which may have required taxpayer-funded security.
Ultimately, it was never made clear if the couple's security will be privately paid or, at least in part, provided by the UK government. While they were residing in Canada—a member nation of the British Commonwealth—the Duke and Duchess had UK taxpayer-funded bodyguards in addition to support from the Canadian government, though the latter was scheduled to end when they officially transitioned to their new arrangement on April 1.
Whether or not the support from the UK government will end after that date, or continue to protect Harry and Meghan in L.A. appears to be an open question. Although the spokesperson noted that "privately funded security arrangements" were made, it wasn't specified if that was the only form of protection that the couple were receiving.
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