Titles or Not, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Aren't Losing This Royal Perk
Stepping back from the royal family doesn't mean that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are leaving behind all the trappings of being royal. People reports that Mark Stephens, who works with London law firm Howard Kennedy, insists that the Sussexes will continue to have diplomatic protection, "whether or not they are active members" of the family.
He went on to explain that many royals around the world are afforded the same priveledges.
"If you take the Dutch royal family for example, where a number of them work — the King is an airline pilot — they still have diplomatic immunity because of their status as a member of the royal family, Stephens explained. "The same is the case in the Middle East — Saudi Arabia or Kuwait or the UAE. So it's perfectly normal. There are no exceptions for Harry and Meghan."
Pool/Samir Hussein/Getty Images
RELATED: Meghan Markle Made One Last Check-In at an Animal Charity Before Heading to Canada
Stephens added that eventually, Prince Harry will be the brother to the king and that in itself would require a whole new level of security. The same protection would be afforded to Markle and the couple's son, Archie.
"If they're covered by either the Canadian or British security services, they will also have the intelligence attached which comes with that," Stephens added. "If you employ a private security firm, they won’t have the intelligence which is necessary to provide effective close protection."
And as for who would pay for it, Stephens doesn't think anything will change, meaning British taxpayers would be picking up the tab for security.
"We pay for the security of ex-politicians and government ministers who have two days in the job, so it is perfectly reasonable for a lifelong member of the royal family to have security,” he added. "And I think the [U.K.] government will feel like that."
