It’s no secret that Prince Harry has been eager to take wife Meghan Markle and children Archie, 2, and Lilibet, 7 months, back to the United Kingdom for a visit. But one element of the trip that’s been standing in the way is security. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex explained that the couple want to pay for their own security detail, but due to a decision made by the British Home Office, making such an arrangement has proven even more difficult than the couple may have anticipated. So, how much would Harry and Meghan have to pay for private security, rather than relying on U.K. taxpayers, in order to make the trip across the pond? Here’s what we know.
“It’s very difficult to put a figure exactly on it,” Richard Aitch, the director of operations for Mobius International Security, shared with Us Weekly. “The cost for a personal protection officer from the [Metropolitan Police] has been estimated to be around £100,000 a year.” Just to add a little more context, £100,000 a year equates to roughly $134,445.60 — not exactly cheap.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made it clear how they feel about the ongoing Spotify debacle. https://t.co/FD2AKKjLIk
— SheKnows (@SheKnows) January 30, 2022
Aitch also revealed that the estimate could “considerably” vary depending on certain elements, particularly that of Harry and Meghan’s two young children, along with flight accommodations, and more. “What may appear as a wish on paper is far more in reality, and the costs can certainly be quite huge,” Aitch further explained.
Now that Harry and Meghan have taken a step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family, they’ve had to make notable financial compromises as they build their life in California. But in this situation, where Harry and Meghan seem ready to foot the bill for their own security detail (despite the inexorable cost), perhaps they can reach an agreement with the British Home Office in order to proceed with their request. From what we’ve gleaned thus far, Harry seems ready to make any compromise necessary in order to reunite his family on both sides of the Atlantic.
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