Why Harry and Meghan are ditching Canada for California

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have quit their home in Canada to begin a new life in California as they officially step down as senior royals, according to reports.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are understood to have set up residence close to Hollywood and to be living in coronavirus lockdown according to California state rules.

The couple officially “exit” the Royal Family on 31 March, and will no longer be able to use their HRH styles or Sussex Royal as their brand.

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Where have they moved?

The couple left their rented home in Vancouver last week along with their ten-month-old son Archie and took a private flight to the US before the country closed its borders, reports Sky News.

News of their arrival prompted President Donald Trump to tweet a warning that the US would not be footing their security bills.

Harry and Meghan subsequently announced that they would be paying their own way, reports the London Evening Standard.

On Sunday, a spokesperson for the pair said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to ask the US government for security resources.

“Privately funded security arrangements have been made.”

Why have to quit Canada?

The news of the move emerged just hours after it was revealed that Meghan will narrate a Disney documentary about elephants in her first post-royal job.

“Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good,” a source told The Sun’s Dan Wootton. “The borders were closing and the flights were stopping. They had to get out.”

According to the royal insider, the move had been “planned for some time”, after the couple realised that Canada would “not work out for various reasons”.

“They wanted to be based in the Los Angeles area,” the source continued. “They have a big support network there.

“It’s where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based. Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria.”

Wootton subsequently reported that “US insiders close to the couple say financial reasons are one of the biggest factors”.

“They were told getting work visas in Canada would be difficult and because Meghan remains a US citizen - so is taxed on her worldwide income - she would end up paying in the US and Canada,” an insider is quoted as saying.