Royals: Charles chips in for private security to keep Sussexes safe as they house hunt in Los Angeles

As the Sussexes look for a home in LA, the Palace warns Harry the money is not ‘inexhaustible’ and will be reviewed in a year.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan are househunting in Los Angeles. Picture: Jeremy Selwyn/AFP

Security arrangements for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have entered a “period of transition” as the couple look for a home in the United States, with private American guards set to replace police protection.

The Prince of Wales is to provide up to $AU4 million towards the costs of security for the couple as they look for properties in and around Los Angeles. Experts said that if the couple wanted to travel widely the costs could be up to $AU10.1 million a year.

The funding, from the prince’s private accounts, is for a limited period. Palace sources said that money was not “inexhaustible” and would be reviewed in a year. The Palace has told Harry that he cannot live abroad and expect the taxpayer to foot the bill.

The couple’s protection is set to be provided by private firms, often made up of former special forces soldiers, as their Metropolitan Police guards are withdrawn after they step back from royal duties. Yesterday (Wednesday) the Buckingham Palace office of the couple was formally shut down as they began their new life. Messages to their official email address received the response that “the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has now closed”.

A general view of the guard cabin at the entrance of the gated neighbourhood where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are looking to establish their residence: Serra Retreat in Malibu, California. Picture: Jean-Baptiste Lacroix/AFP

According to reports in the US, where the couple moved from Vancouver, the Sussexes have begun househunting in exclusive Los Angeles neighbourhoods. There is speculation that they are seeking to find a house in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood near Malibu beach. Before her death Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was said to be planning to move to the same area with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed.

Simon Morgan, a former royal protection officer who is now a director of the security firm Trojan Consultancy, said that security for the couple was likely to be provided by the private sector, potentially exposing them to “questions about how is that going to look”.

“If they are going to be based in California, and are going to be looking at a protection package that involves the carriage of firearms, they will have to look at an American company to do that,” Mr Morgan said. He added that if they were going to travel and have a prominent existence — for example attending events such as Davos — their security would cost at least $AU10.1 million.

Prince Charles has been in self-isolation since testing positive to coronavirus. Picture: Clarence House via AP

“The duke is used to a certain level and a certain style of security,” Mr Morgan said. “What he gets anywhere he goes is quite a considerable package. What they will get now is something they will have to pay for themselves.”

The couple will be in high demand in the US and are unlikely to struggle to achieve the “financial independence” they proclaimed as their aim. Their media image will be handled by the Sunshine Sachs agency which is known for its A-list clients including Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jason Statham, Natalie Portman, the Michael Jackson Estate, and Justin Timberlake.

Forbes magazine published a list of six potential homes for the couple near those of celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney and Ellen DeGeneres. The properties ranged from dollars 25-85,000 per month for the rentals and up to dollars 36.5 million to buy.

The Times