Australian Police Security for Harry and Meghan’s Visit to Be Funded by Taxpayers

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:48:00 +0200

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to visit Melbourne and Sydney next week for a privately funded tour featuring business and philanthropic events, but Australian taxpayers will bear the cost of policing during their stay. Despite the couple no longer being working royals, the New South Wales Police Force confirmed it will run an operation to maintain public safety, requiring additional security measures without invoking the 'user pays' system used for private events. Under standard procedures, private organizers must pay for extra security at concerts, festivals, or film shoots, but this exception means some police expenditures will come from public funds. Victoria Police also stated it will deploy resources as necessary but declined to discuss specifics. The visit differs from Harry and Meghan’s 2018 official royal tour, which cost Australian taxpayers over $410,000, covering full protection and transport. Now acting as private citizens, their itinerary includes high-priced, tick