Meghan Markle & Prince Harry ‘Have No Plans To Ask U.S. Government For Security Resources,’ Spokesperson Says

Following Donald Trump’s tweet saying that the U.S. would not be providing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle any security aid while they live in the U.S., the couple has issued a response. In a statement delivered by their spokesperson, the couple said that they had no plans to ask the government for resources, according to People.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to ask the U.S. government for security resources. Privately funded security arrangements have been made,” the spokesperson said on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, President Trump had tweeted that although he admired the queen and the United Kingdom, the U.S. government would not pay for the couple’s security now that they’ve left Canada and are residing in Los Angeles.

In their initial announcement saying that they would be leaving the royal family, Harry and Meghan said that they planned to become “financially independent.” At the time, it was not totally clear what that phrase meant, but in the months since their January announcement, they have publicly stated that they don’t plan to take money from the Sovereign Grant, which funds the rest of the royal family. They also said that they would stop using their formal royal titles and remove the word “royal” from all of the branding associated with them.

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As a result, the couple is free to seek employment, but have agreed that they will uphold the queen’s values in everything they choose to do. Although they will not receive funds from the Sovereign Grant, a source told People in January that the couple would continue to receive private financial assistance from Harry’s father, Prince Charles.

Trump’s message comes just days after news broke that the couple had relocated to the U.S. During the initial months of their separation from the royal family, the couple had been staying in Vancouver, Canada, with their son, Archie.

Now that they’ve returned to Meghan’s hometown, the couple are responding to the coronavirus just like the rest of the world. Reports suggest that Meghan has taken extra precautions to ensure that no one in the family contracts the illness and that those measures got even harsher following news that Prince Charles had tested positive for the disease.

“Meghan said hearing the news of Prince Charles has put everyone on edge. She said she is worried about her own health and Harry’s health because she doesn’t want to pass anything onto Archie,” a source told The Daily Mail.