Barry Ellsworth
27 February 2020•Update: 27 February 2020
TRENTON, Canada
The Canadian government finally confirmed Thursday it has been contributing financially for security for Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan.
The admission comes after intense speculation as to who would pay for security of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex while they are in Canada.
A statement from Public Safety Minister Bill Blair’s office explained the reason Canadian taxpayers are contributing to the cost of security for the pair and have been since November 2019.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex choosing to relocate to Canada on a part-time basis presented our government with a unique and unprecedented set of circumstances,” the statement reads. “The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) has been engaged with officials from the U.K. 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.”
However, that will stop when the pair officially stop working as part of the royal family March 31, the statement said.
Security for the couple was estimated to cost anywhere from CAN$10 million to CAN$30 million ($7.5 million to $22.5 million) annually.
Until Thursday, the government of Justin Trudeau and the prime minister himself have been coy when asked if Canada was providing security, deflecting a direct answer.
Polls in Canada show only one-in-five people felt taxpayers should pay for the couple’s security.
Further, a petition with 80,000 signatures that said Canadians should not pay the costs was presented to the prime minister’s office.
What the cost has been so far was not disclosed and the question of who will provide security after March 31 has not been answered.
