The cost of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's security is estimated at £5 million every year, according to reports. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have sparked mixed reactions among the British public, and the question of who pays for their protection threatens to become toxic.
Security costs and legal challenges
It has been estimated that round-the-clock protection will cost up to £5 million annually. Prince Harry previously said he could not bring his family to the UK because the Government was refusing to pay for it, and he was apparently unable to fund it himself. The prince took legal action trying to force the Home Office to foot his security bill but lost the case.
Government stance on security arrangements
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that the Sussexes' security arrangements will be a "private matter", which appears to mean private as in secret. A Home Office spokesman said: "The UK Government's protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' security."
This response is a stock answer designed to reveal nothing about specific arrangements, but it is not a denial that taxpayers are footing the bill. Details will eventually emerge, either through a Government Minister ordered by a Commons committee to disclose them or through a leak from a talkative official.
