Sussexes’ new life together starts miles apart
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were taking the first steps into their new independent life thousands of miles apart yesterday, after they blindsided the Queen with the announcement they would be stepping down from royal duties.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Meghan had returned to Canada, where the couple and 8-month-old son Archie spent the holiday season at a secluded luxury home on Vancouver Island. Harry stayed in England, where the royal family sought to contain the crisis.
The Queen ordered courtiers to sort out a future role for the couple within days. British media reported the monarch, who is at Sandringham, held a conference call with Princes Charles, William and Harry.
The Telegraph reported the Queen has demanded that negotiations on the royal future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should provide a blueprint for generations to come.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reported Scotland Yard was to review Harry and Meghan’s security arrangements, as experts warned protecting them in future could cost taxpayers millions.
The bill for the couple’s highly trained protection team, about £600,000 a year, is picked up by the Metropolitan Police’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command.
During royal foreign visits, the high cost of providing officers to secure crowds is met by the host country.
Currently, an armed team of at least six officers accompany the couple at all times.
Dai Davies, a former chief superintendent who led the Metropolitan Police’s royal protection unit, said: “It is going to cost millions to protect Harry and Meghan in the long term . . . Prince Harry’s threat level is particularly high. The security arrangements will be very complex. I do not think they have thought any of this through at all.”