Canadian Petitioners Think Harry And Meghan Should Pay For Security Themselves
People have been up in arms trying to figure out how Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle will provide for themselves now that they have officially stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family.
One of the biggest issues surrounding the Sussexes financial future is how they will pay for security. The palace and Canada have reportedly been trying to suss out who will foot the bill. And the residents of each nation definitely have a few opinions of their own.
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Taxpayers Don't Want To Pay
The people have Canada have been very open about their opinions on this issue: They do not want to pay for security detail on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Canadians have been making this very clear ever since the announcement of the royal exit, but now they are taking things a step further.
In just six days, over 80,000 people have signed a petition stating they do not want Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's security costs to come out of their taxpayer dollars.
Financially Independent
What's interesting about this public pushback against the Sussexes is that Harry and Meghan both seem to feel very much the same way. The Duke and Duchess made it a point to claim financial independence as a goal going forward.
The Palace has already announced that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan plan to pay back taxpayers for the 2.4 million pounds -- or 3.1 million dollars -- that was used to renovate their UK home, Frogmore Cottage. They are also giving up their annual stipend.
The Most Important Factor
Despite all these issues with income, security is an incredibly important detail for Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan. The couple has cited safety concerns as a major reason for their stepping down.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently set their lawyers on paparazzi, issuing a cease and desist order to photographers who had been hiding in bushes and camping outside their home to snap pics of Meghan and their son, Archie. Harry has frequently spoken out about the dangerous behavior of the British press.
Good, But How?
Despite everyone seemingly being on the same page, nobody actually knows how to solve the issue of income. While Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan may intend to pay their own way, the reality could be a lot more sticky.
Royals are not allowed to make money off of being royals. Speculation has led some to believe that Meghan could return to her career in Hollywood, but even that has its problems. Industry insiders have admitted that while they would love to have Meghan back, the logistics would be a nightmare.
