Harry and Meghan’s security ‘will be privately funded’

LONDON: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have disclosed details about their security arrangements after US president Donald Trump announced America would not pay for their protection.

On the eve of Harry and Meghan stepping down as senior members of the monarchy, it was announced they had put in place “privately funded security arrangements” for their move to Los Angeles.

A spokeswoman for the couple took the unusual step of commenting about their protection plans after Trump said in a tweet on Sunday he was a “great friend and admirer of the Queen and the United Kingdom” as he refused to foot the bill.

“It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada,” he said.“Now they have left Canada for the U.S. however, the U.S. will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!” The duke and duchess will officially walk away from the royal family at the end of the day -- starting a new life in America.

Harry and Meghan’s desire to earn money while remaining members of the monarchy was unworkable and so they chose to leave and become financially independent.

But their impending exit from The Firm -- dubbed Megxit -- comes as the country braces itself for the worst of the coronavirus pandemic expected in the coming weeks. Harry’s father the Prince of Wales has tested positive for Covid-19 after experiencing mild symptoms and phoned Harry last week to tell him the news.

An official spokeswoman for the Sussexes said they had “no plans” to ask the US government for resources, following months of speculation about who would pay for their security when they step back as senior royals.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to ask the US government for security resources,” the spokeswoman said. “Privately-funded security arrangements have been made.”

Harry and Meghan have moved from their exclusive Vancouver Island home to Los Angeles, where Meghan was born and grew up and her mother Doria Ragland still lives.The duchess has a network of friends in the city and has effectively returned to her former life with husband and baby son Archie, and are now said to be living in lockdown close to Hollywood in accordance with the sunshine state’s Covid-19 containment measures.-