Canadians Refuse to Pay for Prince Harry & Meghan Markle, Poll Shows
Only 3% says Canada's citizens should pay for the Royal couple's security costs
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After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent announcement they will be standing down from Royal Family duties and moving to Canada, it appears as though Canadian citizens aren't so keen on the plan.
Despite Canada being part of the Commonwealth, with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, the North American country has tried to distance itself from the days under British rule.
As working members of the Royal Family, funding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's lifestyle, including their round-the-clock security, falls into the lap of UK taxpayers.
Once they move to Canada, however, the question of who will pick up the tab for their expensive security costs is causing controversy.
A new poll, conducted by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute in Canada, has revealed that Canadians don't want to pay the bill themselves.
Nearly three-quarters of Canadians do not want to pay for Harry and Meghan's move to the country or to pay for their security arrangements, the survey has found.
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73 percent said that they would prefer Canada not pitch in any money.
For one-in-five (19 percent), some cost-sharing is appropriate, while only a handful of Canadians would willingly pay for all costs (3 percent).
The survey was conducted from January 13-14 this year by a randomized sample of 1,154 Canadian adults.
Among the findings from the survey were that:
- Two-thirds (66 percent) say the House of Windsor is losing or has lost relevance
- Nearly half (45 percent) say Canada should not continue as a constitutional monarchy for generations and generations to come
- Prince Harry is the most personally popular member of the Royal Family among Canadians; 69 percent view him favorably
- He and his uncle, the disgraced Prince Andrew, are also most likely to be viewed as celebrities rather than working royals
- Quebecers are most likely to say they'll be "upset" if the Sussexes take up part-time residence in Canada (17 percent)
- The main reaction of people in la belle province in ennui: more than half (56 percent) say they "don't care"
- There is little consensus over what, if anything, might replace the monarch as Canada's head of state
- Just over one-quarter (27 percent) say the prime minister should become head of state, while one-in-five (19 percent) say the head of state should be the Governor-General, but without ties to Britain
Just 14 percent said they would be "very pleased" to see the couple spending significant time in Canada.
While 50 percent said they did not care either way.
When asked about the Royal Family as a whole one-in-five said it is less relevant now than it has been previously.
While 41 percent said they feel the monarchy is completely irrelevant now.
But, despite this, many have been watching the drama unfold. Asked if they have been following these events, 70 percent say yes.
Older Canadians are much more engaged in the latest machinations of the monarchy than younger ones.
The news comes as an expert revealed the cost of security for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be as much as $10million (£7.6million) annually.
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As Neon Nettle reported Thursday, Canada's largest newspaper has blasted the royal couple's decision to move to the country, declaring Harry and Meghan are not welcome.
The Globe and Mail published a scathing editorial, saying the couple’s Canadian relocation plan violates laws that keep the once-British-ruled country independent from the UK government and distanced from Britain's monarchy.
“In response to the sudden announcement of a vague and evolving plan for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – Prince Harry and Meghan – to move to Canada while remaining part of the Royal Family, the Trudeau government’s response should be simple and succinct: No,” the editorial blasts.
“You are welcome to visit, but so long as you are senior royals, Canada cannot allow you to come to stay,” it says.
"It breaks an unspoken constitutional taboo."
