Harry and Meghan's Canadian security bill cost £32,000 in overtime, travel and food
Keeping Prince Harry and Meghan safe during their Canadian holiday over Christmas cost more than £32,000 ($40,500) in overtime, travel and food, it has been revealed.
Papers released to the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation reveal security costs of C$56,384 from the middle of November until 22 January.
However, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who released the information, make it clear that this only covered incremental costs, like overtime and shift differential, such as night shifts.
The figures also cover expenses like travel, meals and accommodation, but don’t include the salaries of those who were assigned to look after the royal couple.
Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, spent an extended Christmas break in a mansion on Vancouver Island with their son Archie.
They returned to the UK in January and thanked the people of Canada for their stay, before dropping the shock news that they wanted to step back from their roles as senior royals.
Meghan then returned to Canada, where it emerged they had left Archie while they were in London, and Harry soon followed.
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The decision to step back from senior roles caused a security headache, and after another few weeks of covering the costs, RCMP announced they would not be willing to fund them after 31 March, when their time as working royals officially ended.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex now live in Los Angeles, where it’s reported their security is costing £7,000 a day.
President Donald Trump said the US would not be paying for the couple, but they responded by clarifying that they would not have asked and would be meeting the costs themselves.
Background information released by the RCMP in the documents shows the police did not know how long Harry and Meghan would be in Canada, and that their visit was private, with no engagements planned.
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An email from Bernadine Chapman, commanding officer of the national division, included in the information reveals their concerns about the ongoing costs, and attention, as she wrote: “Media is on this like a hot potato ... so lots of coverage of the potential of the royals to spend half their time in Canada now, as an independent couplt [sic]. Media spins is about the cost to Canadians.
“We are having a greater conversation next week on the go forward on this. This has a potential to cost us huge!”
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It also reveals there wasn’t an increased threat to the couple or Archie, but acknowledges the number of paparazzi in the area.
Writing about the costs to the Canadian taxpayer, Aaron Wudrick, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said: “More than $50,000 is nothing to sneeze at, especially when you consider the fact that this is taxpayers’ money covering bills for one of the most famous and wealthy couples in the world.
“Had the government not cut them off and had Meghan and Harry stayed in Canada, the bill could have easily turned into millions.”
RCMP said they could not release salary information for security reasons and to protect operations.
Canada had to pay towards the security for Harry and Meghan because it is a Commonwealth nation, but the US would not have the same obligation to British royals.
