Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are 'Personally Covering' Security Costs: Source
Despite reports that Prince Charles is paying for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s security costs, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vowed to do so themselves.
“All security costs are being personally covered by the couple,” a source close to them tells PEOPLE.
The Prince of Wales will continue to help with some of their finances going forward, as PEOPLE previously reported.
The cost of Harry and Meghan’s security, largely carried out by specially-trained officers from the Metropolitan Police Service, has been a controversial point since they announced their desire in January to step down as senior working royals.
RELATED: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Just Announced the End of Their Sussex Royal Instagram
Following President Donald Trump’s tweet on Sunday that the U.S. would not pay for the couple’s security since they moved to Los Angeles, their spokesperson told PEOPLE: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to ask the U.S. government for security resources. Privately funded security arrangements have been made.”
Karwai Tang/WireImage Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
The pair has been living in a secluded compound in L.A. with their 10-month-old son Archie since leaving their Vancouver Island home as they prepare to make their official royal exit on March 31.
Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, are planning to become “financially independent” after they revealed in their bombshell Jan. 8 announcement that they will be stepping down as senior working royals.
The couple will not receive Sovereign Grant funding and have said they will continue to uphold the values of the Queen.
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DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On Monday, Harry and Meghan shared their final post on their joint SussexRoyal Instagram account.
“As we can all feel, the world at this moment seems extraordinarily fragile. Yet we are confident that every human being has the potential and opportunity to make a difference—as seen now across the globe, in our families, our communities and those on the front line—together we can lift each other up to realise the fullness of that promise,” they wrote, concluding: “Thank you to this community – for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You’ve been great! Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another.”
