Royal Canadian Mounted Police has been provided by the government to act as security to Harry and Meghan and their son Archie, while the family has been living on Vancouver Island.
The Duke and Duchess will cease their royal duties on March 31, after which the security arrangements with the Canadian government will change.
Canada’s public safety minister Bill Blair said in a statement to that the cessation of assistance to the couple is “in keeping with their change of status”.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex choosing to relocate to Canada on a part-time basis presented our government with a unique and unprecedented set of circumstances,” said the statement.
“The RCMP has been engaged with officials in the UK from the very beginning regarding security considerations.
“As the Duke and Duchess are currently recognised as Internationally Protected Persons, Canada has an obligation to provide security assistance on an as-needed basis.
“At the request of the Metropolitan Police, the RCMP has been providing assistance to the Met since the arrival of the Duke and Duchess to Canada intermittently since November 2019.
“The assistance will cease in the coming weeks, in keeping with their change in status.”
While Canada will no longer be providing security to Harry and Meghan, the couple has said on their website that they will continue to be protected.
“It is agreed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to require effective security to protect them and their son,” read a statement on their website.
“This is based on the Duke’s public profile by virtue of being born into the Royal Family, his military service, the Duchess’ own independent profile, and the shared threat and risk level documented specifically over the last few years.”
