Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are described as ‘arrogant’ because they assume they will maintain royal security after fleeing the UK – which would cost taxpayers an estimated $ 5.5 million each year.
“It shows you their naivety and sense of justice,” retired chief of staff Dai Davies, who headed the British royalty protection unit, told the Daily Mail.
“It was simply arrogant to assume that they and their baby would get protection.”
The couple both complained in their Oprah Winfrey bombing about the loss of their royal security details, and Harry said it came at short notice, so they rushed their move from Canada to California after Tyler Perry safety together. with his mansion.
But the astronomical cost of security was one of the first points of contention days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they would cease royal duties – especially after boasting that they would be ‘financially independent’.
It also sparked diplomatic talks, with Canadians furious at the expectation that they would pay millions for it too – and President Donald Trump was adamant that the US would not help if the Sussexes moved to California.
Davies said he was ‘gobsmacked’ because the couple expected taxpayers to keep paying.
‘It was completely unrealistic to think that they could keep their royal protection team in America working – it would actually [police] live in danger, ”he said.
He noted that the British police may only protect royals in the US as part of a ‘reciprocal agreement’ for ‘events such as official state visits’.
“But British officers could not just continue working there, unable to carry firearms and without access to the integrated intelligence of the security services,” he said. “It was unworkable.”
The concerns that already exist in Canada – where the government has said it will stop helping with security “in line with their status change” – were then exacerbated when the Sussexes moved to California, bodyguard Russell Stuart told the Mail said.
“This is America. We are a nation of gun owners … California is a much bigger place, it’s more dangerous, ‘said the former California State Guard officer.
“You have a lot more potential threats than in Vancouver.”
