A Question Of Security: Here’s How Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Will Get Protection After Moving Away From The Royal Family

BuzzMarch 14, 2020

Weeks after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made the shocking announcement that they’ve decided to step down from their posts as senior royals, the public still seems to have plenty of questions about the couple’s new life track.

One aspect that remains a matter of curiosity is the kind of security they’ll need and get as they embark on their journey towards independence. Luckily, Mark Stephens, a solicitor from the law firm Howard Kennedy, can offer some answers.

Expert’s Opinion

Stephens particularly specializes in human rights, media law, and intellectual property rights

According to Stephens, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex probably will get the same level of diplomatic protection similar to other members of the royal family. This would apply even though they currently aren’t active in their duties, Stephens said.

He used examples of other royal families in the world. The solicitor particularly mentioned the Dutch royal family, which members work. They reportedly still enjoy the diplomatic immunity that comes with their status as royals. The similar can be observed in the case of Middle Eastern royalty in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.

It’s also important to note that once Prince Harry’s father, Prince Charles, succeeds the Queen in the future, the former would become the son of the King of England. Going further, he would become the brother of the King once Prince William sits on the throne. Thus, he and his family’s security needs will become all the more crucial. Prince Harry’s own small family welcomed a son, Archie, in 2019.

Specific Services

At the moment, the couple reportedly has a six-man security team from the Metropolitan Police (not pictured above)

Stephens further added that if the couple gets covered by the British or Canadian security services, they would get the intelligence that comes with these. He compared this to a scenario where a private security firm is hired instead. In this setup, they won’t get access to intelligence that can give them more close protection.

In the end, Stephens is confident that the family of three will get the former despite objections from the public, who are concerned about who pays for these services. He also said that the security tab of the couple will probably be picked up by the British taxpayers.

The Burden of Security Costs

Prince Harry and Markle will reportedly be living in Vancouver Island, just off Canada’s Pacific Coast

This news will likely be welcomed by Canadians, many of whom have previously expressed that they think Prince Harry and Markle should be paying for their own security detail. What more, an 80,000-signature petition was even submitted by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) asking their prime minister to not let the taxpayers pay for the royals’ security tab.

However, the federation maintains that they still welcome the couple to the country. According to Aaron Wudrick, CTF’s director, they just aren’t keen on financially supporting them during their stay.