TORONTO — With the Queen’s blessing, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be dividing their time in the U.K. and in Canada during a “period of transition” as they take a step back from their official duties as senior members of the Royal Family.
The decision comes after a week of rampant speculation about a rift in the family following Prince Harry and Meghan’s bombshell announcement that indicated they would reduce their royal workload and become “financially independent.”
As the royals begin to navigate these uncharted waters, here’s what we know so far about Prince Harry and Meghan’s future in Canada.
Where will they live?
While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they planned to balance their time between the United Kingdom and North America in their initial statement, the Queen confirmed what many suspected when she announced on Monday the couple would split their time between Canada and the U.K.
Rumours swirled that Prince Harry and Meghan had their sights set on Canada after they ditched the Queen’s annual Christmas festivities at Sandringham House and spent six weeks in north Saanich, B.C., instead.
What’s more, the Duchess of Sussex is said to be particularly fond of Canada after she lived in Toronto for seven years while filming the popular TV series “Suits.” Another draw for Toronto may be the fact that Jessica Mulroney, a close friend of Meghan’s whose three children were in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ wedding party, also lives there.
Jeffrey Dvorkin, the director of the journalism program at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus, said Prince Harry and Meghan might also be drawn to Canada for its “deferential” media culture. He told The Canadian Press the royals have been “burned” by the British tabloids in the past, particularly the Duchess of Sussex, who has been subjected to racist coverage. He said Canadian journalists tend to be less intrusive than those in the U.K.
It’s still unclear if the couple will choose Toronto, B.C., or somewhere else entirely for their Canadian sojourn.
While Canada is part of the Commonwealth that recognizes the Queen as head of state, that doesn’t mean that her grandson, Prince Harry, has citizenship in the country.
CTV’s royal commentator Richard Berthelsen explained that Prince Harry only has British citizenship and his wife Meghan has reportedly retained her American citizenship. It’s unclear if she has been granted British citizenship or if she is in the process of attaining it. Berthelsen said it’s also not known if she became a landed immigrant or obtained a work permit during her time in Toronto.
If the couple plans to become legal residents in Canada, Citizenship and Immigration spokesperson Beatrice Fenelon said they would have to apply through the normal immigration process like everyone else.
How will they become ‘financially independent’?
If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex intend to become “financially independent” from British taxpayers, as they announced in their shocking statement last week, they will have a number of obstacles to sort out with the Royal Family first.
Under the current arrangement, Prince Harry and Meghan are barred from earning their own income because they receive funding from the Sovereign Grant. The Sovereign Grant is an annual sum of money given to the Queen by the British government to cover the costs of running her household. In exchange, the Queen surrenders the millions in revenue generated each year from a collection of royal properties.
According to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, five per cent of their costs are from the Sovereign Grant while the remaining funds come from the Duchy of Cornwall, an estate run by Prince Charles, which is used to fund his family and charitable endeavours. The couple said they plan to give up the money from the Sovereign Grant, while continuing to receive funds from the Duchy of Cornwall.
Berthelsen said that plan could be rife with problems as the funding from Prince Charles’ estate is “fundamentally” public money.
As for what they will do to earn their own money, Berthelsen suggested they might monetize their brand “Sussex Royal,” which they have already trademarked for a “charitable entity” that has yet to be launched.
He also speculated that Prince Harry might take on work involving aircraft, as he has experience with helicopters. Meghan might work in the fashion industry – she already guest edited an issue of Vogue – because of her many contacts in the business.
Royal commentator Victoria Arbiter told CTV News Channel the couple might make hefty sums if they were to engage in public speaking events.
Who will pay for their security?
Now that it’s become clear that Canada is to be their residence of choice, at least on a part-time basis, the question of who will provide their security has become top of mind for some Canadian taxpayers.
Currently, the security costs for the Royal Family, which can be in the millions per year, are covered by the British taxpayers during official visits; however, the RCMP has provided security during royal tours in Canada in the past.
With their plan to step back as members of the Royal Family and become financially independent from the British taxpayers, it’s unclear if Prince Harry and Meghan will still require security when they are living in Canada and who will pay for it if the U.K. doesn’t.
Larry Busch, a former RCMP officer and security expert, said he thinks the bill for providing security for the couple in Canada will be negotiated between the Canadian federal government, the British government, the Royal Family, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex themselves.
The level of security they will need, however, will be dependent on where they choose to live, he said. There is a big difference between a residence in a rural environment and one in a major city, Busch explained.
“Depending on how often they expose themselves that will have a lot to do with how that drives security,” he told CTV News Channel on Tuesday.
When contacted by CTVNews.ca on Monday, the Prime Minister’s Office said there are “still many discussions to be had” about who might cover the costs of security for the royal couple.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the government hasn’t spent “any time thinking about this issue” during a press conference on Monday.
“We obviously are always looking to make sure that as a member of the Commonwealth, that we play a role. We have not had any discussions on that subject at this time,” he said.
CTV News reached out to the RCMP for comment on the matter.
In a press release on Tuesday, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation announced the launch of an online petition opposing the continuation of taxpayer support for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Canada.
“Everyone wishes Meghan and Harry all the best in becoming financially independent, but we need to be clear about one thing: Canadian taxpayers shouldn’t have to cover their bills,” CTF Federal Director Aaron Wudrick said.
What does this mean for the Royal Family?
In her statement, the Queen said these are “complex matters” for her family to resolve and there is still “more work to be done” in regards to Prince Harry and Meghan’s future in the monarchy.
Berthelsen said Prince Harry’s position as sixth in line to the throne, his military appointments, and his role as a counsellor of state may all come into question if he steps away from his official duties. He said a change in the Duke of Sussex’s position in the family could lead to constitutional amendments involving the British government.
Additionally, when the couple moves to Canada, Berthelsen said that might complicate the country’s current system with the Governor General and Lieutenant Governor representing the Queen and performing her functions.
“How is it going to work if there’s actually a member of the Royal Family in our midst?” he asked.
Berthelsen said it remains to be seen how the Duke and Duchess would interact with the Queen’s representatives in Canada and how much of a role they would play in official engagements in the country.
For their part, Prince Harry and Meghan suggested they wouldn’t discard their royal titles and would instead carve out a “progressive new role” within the institution.
OTTAWA – The New Democrats confirmed Thursday they won’t help Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives topple the government next week, and intend to join the Bloc Québécois in blocking the Tories’ non-confidence motion.
The planned votes from the Bloc and the New Democrats eliminate the possibility of a snap election, buying the Liberals more time to govern after a raucous start to the fall sitting of Parliament.
Poilievre issued a challenge to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh earlier this week when he announced he will put forward a motion that simply states that the House has no confidence in the government or the prime minister.
If it were to pass, it would likely mean Canadians would be heading to the polls, but Singh said Thursday he’s not going to let Poilievre tell him what to do.
Voting against the Conservative motion doesn’t mean the NDP support the Liberals, said Singh, who pulled out of his political pact with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a few weeks ago.
“I stand by my words, Trudeau has let you down,” Singh said in the foyer outside of the House of Commons Thursday.
“Trudeau has let you down and does not deserve another chance.”
Canadians will have to make that choice at the ballot box, Singh said, but he will make a decision about whether to help trigger that election on a vote-by-vote basis in the House.
The Conservatives mocked the NDP during Question Period for saying they had “ripped up” the deal to support the Liberals, despite plans to vote to keep them in power.
Poilievre accused Singh of pretending to pull out of the deal to sway voters in a federal byelection in Winnipeg, where the NDP was defending its long-held seat against the Conservatives.
“Once the votes were counted, he betrayed them again. He’s a fake, a phoney and fraud. How can anyone ever believe what the sellout NDP leader says in the future?” Poilievre said during Question Period Thursday afternoon.
At some point after those comments, Singh stepped out from behind his desk in the House and a two-minute shouting match ensued between the two leaders and their MPs before the Speaker intervened.
Outside the House, Poilievre said he plans to put forward another non-confidence motion at the next opportunity.
“We want a carbon-tax election as soon as possible, so that we can axe Trudeau’s tax before he quadruples it to 61 cents a litre,” he said.
Liberal House leader Karina Gould says there is much work the government still needs to do, and that Singh has realized the consequences of potentially bringing down the government. She refused to take questions about whether her government will negotiate with opposition parties to ensure their support in future confidence motions.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet hasn’t ruled out voting no-confidence in the government the next time a motion is tabled.
“I never support Liberals. Help me God, I go against the Conservatives on a vote that is only about Pierre Poilievre and his huge ambition for himself,” Blanchet said Thursday.
“I support the interests of Quebecers, if those interests are also good for Canadians.”
A Bloc bill to increase pension cheques for seniors aged 65 to 74 is now at “the very centre of the survival of this government,” he said.
The Bloc needs a recommendation from a government minister to OK the cost and get the bill through the House.
The Bloc also wants to see more protections for supply management in the food sector in Canada and Quebec.
If the Liberals can’t deliver on those two things, they will fall, Blanchet said.
“This is what we call power,” he said.
Treasury Board President Anita Anand wouldn’t say whether the government would be willing to swallow the financial implications of the Bloc’s demands.
“We are focused at Treasury Board on ensuring prudent fiscal management,” she said Thursday.
“And at this time, our immediate focus is implementing the measures in budget 2024 that were announced earlier this year.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
OTTAWA – Treasury Board President Anita Anand has been sworn in as federal transport minister at a ceremony at Rideau Hall, taking over a portfolio left vacant after Pablo Rodriguez resigned from cabinet and the Liberal caucus on Thursday.
Anand thanked Rodriguez for his contributions to the government and the country, saying she’s grateful for his guidance and friendship.
She sidestepped a question about the message it sends to have him leave the federal Liberal fold.
“That is a decision that he made independently, and I wish him well,” she said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not present for the swearing-in ceremony, nor were any other members of the Liberal government.
The shakeup in cabinet comes just days after the Liberals lost a key seat in a Montreal byelection to the Bloc Québécois and amid renewed calls for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down and make way for a new leader.
Anand said she is not actively seeking leadership of the party, saying she is focused on her roles as minister and as MP.
“My view is that we are a team, and we are a team that has to keep delivering for our country,” she said.
The minority Liberal government is in a more challenging position in the House of Commons after the NDP ended a supply-and-confidence deal that provided parliamentary stability for more than two years.
Non-confidence votes are guaranteed to come from the Opposition Conservatives, who are eager to bring the government down.
On Thursday morning, Rodriguez made a symbolic walk over the Alexandra Bridge from Parliament Hill to Gatineau, Que., where he formally announced his plans to run for the Quebec Liberal party leadership.
He said he will now sit as an Independent member of Parliament, which will allow him to focus on his own priorities.
“I was defending the priorities of the government, and I did it in a very loyal way,” he said.
“It’s normal and it’s what I had to do. But now it’s more about my vision, the vision of the team that I’m building.”
Rodriguez said he will stay on as an MP until the Quebec Liberal leadership campaign officially launches in January.
He said that will “avoid a costly byelection a few weeks, or months, before a general election.”
The next federal election must be held by October 2025.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he will try to topple the government sooner than that, beginning with a non-confidence motion that is set to be debated Sept. 24 and voted on Sept. 25.
Poilievre has called on the NDP and the Bloc Québécois to support him, but both Jagmeet Singh and Yves-François Blanchet have said they will not support the Conservatives.
Rodriguez said he doesn’t want a federal election right away and will vote against the non-confidence motion.
As for how he would vote on other matters before the House of Commons, “it would depend on the votes.”
Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will become the government’s new Quebec lieutenant, a non-cabinet role Rodriguez held since 2019.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
— With files from Nojoud Al Mallees and Dylan Robertson
