President Donald Trump said Sunday that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will need to pay for their own security if they decide to move to the United States.
What happened:
- Trump tweeted Sunday that he is a “great friend and admirer” of Queen Elizabeth II and the United Kingdom in general.
- But Meghan Markle and Prince Harry won’t receive preferential treatment, he said.
- Trump tweeted: “It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the U.S. however, the U.S. will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!”
- According to Fox News, the couple responded in a statement: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to ask the U.S. government for security resources. Privately funded security arrangements have been made.”
Why it matters:
- Markle and Harry announced earlier in 2020 that they would step away from their royal roles and that they will live in both the United Kingdom and North America, according to the Associated Press.
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he pay for half of the security costs for the couple, which is estimated to reach $1.3 million, according to The Monitor. But, as the Deseret News’ Anne Wallace wrote, Canada announced it would stop funding security on March 31 — the day the couple officially forsake their titles.
- But, according to The Los Angeles Times, the couple moved to Los Angeles with their son, too. “They have been living in a secluded compound and haven’t ventured out amid the coronavirus pandemic,” People magazine reported.