The Canadian government admitted on Thursday that it was paying the cost of security protection to Prince Harry and his wife Meghan since they arrived, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of a violation in January, and promised to end this.
Prince Harry and his wife, former actress Megan Markle, 38, live in a luxury home on Canada's west coast, with their son Archie, who was born in May.
The couple shocked parts of Windsor Palace and in Britain last month by deciding to withdraw from the royal family's protocol activities.
In late January, Trudeau denied reports in the British press that he had promised the Queen that Canada would pay the security costs to the couple.
But the reality is that the Canadian government has been paying those costs since they arrived in the country.
"While the Duke and Duchess are recognized as persons to be protected internationally, Canada has an obligation to provide security assistance to them," the Ministry of Public Safety said in a statement.
"At the request of the Metropolitan Police (London), the Royal Canadian Police has been assisting them since the arrival of the Duke and Duchess (...) in November 2019. Aid will stop in the coming weeks because of their changed status" within the Royal Family as of March 31.
An opinion poll showed that 77% of Canadians do not support the cost of ensuring the security of Prince Harry during his stay and his family in Canada, considering that the couple is not in the country as representatives of the Queen.