Advertisement

'LA paparazzi don't play by the rules': Harry and Meghan warned they will be 'fair game' in California

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 09: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meets children as she attends the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 on March 09, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Harry and Meghan have reportedly swapped Canada for California. (Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s hopes of keeping a low profile could be dashed if reports they have left their Canadian bolthole for life in California are true.

That’s according to one experienced paparazzi photographer, who has warned the pair that snappers in LA “don’t play by the rules”.

A British photographer, who spoke to Yahoo UK on condition of anonymity, explained the royal couple will be trading in relative peace in Britain compared to what they might face in the US.

The paparazzo said: "They will get photographed and there will be a different photographer working on him. There are a lot photographers in LA daily, up to 100.

"In London there is only a handful each day.

"In the UK, we are not allowed to follow them, doorstep them, we work off our leads, our information.

“We work out where they could be based on their engagements.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 05: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on March 05, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Harry and Meghan carried out some final engagements in the UK in March. (Getty Images)

Read more: Meghan Markle to narrate Disney+ film in first job after leaving senior royal life

He added: "LA paparazzi don’t play by the rules, they will follow them, they are considered fair game.

“Meghan is an actress, they are in a weird limbo, they have protection and they are trying to make money.

"They are going to get photographed a lot more and there is not much they can do."

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the couple’s apparent move.

The royal couple is due to step back from their official duties on 31 March, but they have not carried out an engagement since 9 March, when they appeared at the Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey.

Meghan was understood to have flown back to Canada, where they had been staying in a mansion on Vancouver Island for several weeks. Harry stayed in the UK, but rejoined his wife after holding some meetings in London.

Read more: Coronavirus: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis join 'Clap for Carers’

The couple revealed on Instagram in March that they had recently held meetings at Stanford University, close to California’s Silicon Valley.

Writing in a post about Meghan’s trip to the National Theatre, they added: “Recently, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also visited Stanford University where part of their learning journey included a virtual reality presentation that allows the user to experience life through another person’s point of view.”

Meghan’s first job outside the role of senior royal was confirmed on Thursday, as Disneynature announced she was the narrator on a film called Elephant, to be streamed on Disney+.

A trailer for Elephant, posted on the official Disney Twitter account, revealed that it “follows one family’s extraordinary 1,000 mile journey across Africa on an adventure that will change their lives”.

It’s thought she did the voiceover in London last Autumn.

Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (R) and US singer Jon Bon Jovi pose as hey meet with members of the Invictus Games Choir at Abbey Road Studios in London on February 28, 2020, where they were to record a special single in aid of the Invictus Games Foundation. (Photo by HANNAH MCKAY / POOL / AFP) (Photo by HANNAH MCKAY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Prince Harry worked with Jon Bon Jovi for a new recording of Unbroken. (Getty Images)

Read more: Prince Harry launches Invictus Games single despite forced postponement amid COVID-19 outbreak

Prince Harry released the single for the Invictus Games on Friday, despite the games being moved to next year because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Adding a picture to their Instagram story, Harry said: “Thank you for the support, Jon.

“Well done to the choir, sounds great.”

Meghan and Harry may have hinted they were no longer in Canada on Thursday night, when their post for the Clap for Carers initiative was written from “across the pond” rather than naming a specific country.

A screengrab showing the Sussexes sent support from 'across the pond'
A screengrab showing the Sussexes sent support from 'across the pond'. (Instagram/Sussex Royal)

After announcing their intention to step back from life as senior royals, Harry told supporters at a Sentebale dinner that he “had no other option” but to make the move.

He said: “The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back, is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges.

“And I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option.”

He thanked charity supporters for watching out for him but added “the media is a powerful force” as he promised to live a life of service.