Taxpayers May Be Funding Part of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Upcoming Tour
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be visiting Australia for the first time since 2018 this month.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s upcoming trip to Australia has been in the headlines for the past few weeks. While there has been lots of speculation over the purpose and timing of their trip, there's another, more important aspect that has gained the most attention. Recent reports have suggested that taxpayers may end up covering a part of the trip cost for the royal couple. This news comes despite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their team denying the claim several times in the past.
The speculation comes as authorities in both Victoria and New South Wales have recently confirmed that they will oversee all the proper security arrangements for the upcoming royal visit. As reported by GB News, a spokesperson for the NSW force said, "The New South Wales Police Force will conduct an operation to ensure public safety is maintained during the visit by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," before adding, "The operation will require some additional security measures throughout their stay in New South Wales, while minimizing any disruption to the community."
Although NSW Police usually offer standard services at no cost, events that need heightened security might require organizers to cover the extra costs through a formal arrangement. However, no such agreement has taken place for Harry and Meghan’s visit. This means that the additional security expenses will be handled from the police force’s budget. A Victoria Police spokesman also addressed this and said, "Police routinely assess events and visits and will deploy resources as necessary to ensure community safety. Victoria Police does not provide comment on specific operational arrangements."
A few days ago, an advocacy group called Beyond Australia started a campaign on Change.org titled 'No Taxpayer-Funding or Official Support for Harry & Meghan’s Private Visit to Australia,' and the petition now has more than 43,000 signatures. Referring to the police protection news, the petition page stated, "This directly contradicts those assurances and raises serious concerns about transparency and the use of public resources." They further argued that reports of increased security concerns at Meghan’s alleged Sydney appearance—such as fears that critics might try to take her photos—are being overstated.
According to the petitioners, members of the public have every right to question this claim, as taking pictures at a publicly promoted, ticketed event should not be seen as a security risk. "This appears to be a narrative fed to the media to elevate perceived risk, now being used to justify taxpayer-funded police and security," they added. Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan previously visited Australia in 2018, just a little while after their grand royal wedding. Back then, they were still working members of the royal family.
