Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Security Will No Longer Be Paid for By Canada

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry begin to feel the impact of their departure as official members of the Royal Family

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's security detail will no longer be funded by the Canadian government.

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue to transition out of their roles as official members of the Royal Family, they're starting to feel the impact of their departure. According to the Office of the Minister of Public Safety for Canada, the security offered to Meghan, Harry and son Archie Harrison will "cease in the coming weeks in keeping with their change in status."

"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," the office explains. "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." However, their responsibility to the family-of-three will come to an end when the Sussex's officially leave at the end of March. 

Per the United Nations, Meghan, Harry and Archie will no longer be considered Internationally Protected Persons since they're revoking their status as diplomats. 

With Canada no longer fronting the bill, the responsibility will either lay with the couple themselves or with the Royal Family. On their Sussex Royal website, the couple stated, "It is agreed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to require effective security to protect them and their son. This is based on The Duke's public profile by virtue of being born into The Royal Family, his military service, the Duchess' own independent profile and the shared threat and risk level documented specifically over the last few years."

However, that was the extent of the information offered, for privacy reasons.

As the end of March nears, the Duke and Duchess are truly shedding all the formalities. This week, while attending an event for his eco-friendly company Travalyst, the Duke asked people to call him just "Harry." And while it was more mandatory than choice, the couple's stopped using "royal" in relation to their brand. 

It's the start of a new era for the family.