Prince Harry, Meghan Markle security bill: Petition demanding British taxpayers shouldn't pay

Soon after Canada refused to pay for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's security, a petition has gained enormous attention from British taxpayers demanding that they shouldn't fund the million dollars security costs of the Sussexes. So far, the petition with a goal of 20,000 supporters has received more than 19,000 signatures.

According to Daily Mail, the petition is filed against 20 million pounds security bill that the British taxpayers fear will fall upon them after the Canadian Office of the Minister of Public Safety announced that they will not provide security for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their nine-month-old son Archie after Tuesday, March 31. It is the time when the couple officially steps back from being full-time royals and their transition period is put into effect. The Canadian government that has been protecting the Sussexes since November has now announced changes in the arrangement in the "coming weeks."

"The assistance will cease in the coming weeks, in keeping with their change in status," the government said in a statement.

Consequentially, the responsibility of providing protection to the younger royals becomes UK taxpayers' jobs. As a result, an appeal was launched on Care2 Petitions objecting to the payment of expensive security costs by the UK taxpayers' pockets. The petition suggests that this is undemocratic because the Sussexes are now private citizens after splitting from the British royal family and stepping back from their duties to support the Commonwealth.

The petition argues that they are no longer undertaking engagements in support of Queen Elizabeth II, so this must rid the UK taxpayers from the obligation of paying for their bills. The argument further suggests that Meghan and Harry will enjoy their financial independence as they travel the globe and earn as private citizens. Therefore, they should be responsible for their own security.

"They have made their choice to step back from royal duties and to live abroad and travel globally to achieve financial independence. It is, therefore, their own responsibility to provide their own security, not the responsibility of the UK taxpayers.

Therefore, we the undersigned object to paying for Harry, Meghan and their son's global security costs, and to stop the UK Parliament -House of Commons and the House of Lords, from making any contribution towards them," reads the petition.

The petition has already garnered 19,555 supporters as we write this post.

Not only UK taxpayers, but even the Canadians have shown their disagreement with paying Harry and Meghan's security bills. According to the Washington Post, public opinion surveys showed Canadians are "strongly opposed to being on the hook for Harry and Meghan's security."

An online petition from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation addressed to the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to ensure that taxpayer's money is not used for Sussexes bills, garnered more than 120,000 signatures. Meanwhile, the Canadian governments' decision was celebrated by the taxpayers. They believe that the government is doing just the right thing.