PRITI Patel is to help decide whether to strip funding from the run-away royals Harry and Meghan.
Harry and Meghan blindsided Buckingham Palace and the world this week by announcing that they were stepping down as senior royals.
Vowing to quit the Royal Family and move to Canada, Harry and Meghan said they expected taxpayers to continue funding their royal protection officers as “internationally protected people”.
The six-strong security team provided by Scotland Yard currently costs around 600,000 a year.
But costs would balloon to several times that figure if British police were forced to provide the service overseas.
Metropolitan Police are now tipped for crunch talks with the Home Secretary, which could see them stop funding security for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
A source said: “Royal Protection by armed Metropolitan Police officers is mandated by the Home Office.
“Until now their official roles mean the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their son are classified as internationally protected people.
“That stays in place for now. But as the circumstances have changed there will now be a full review.
“If the Sussexes intend to live abroad, and not just carry out international official visits abroad, it will involve far more resources.
“There is no guarantee it will be granted.”
Despite trying to leave, the couple still want to keep Frogmore Cottage, a property they live in rent free after refurbishing it with 2.4m of taxpayers’ cash.
The couple hope to use the five-bedroom pad “as their official residence as they continue to support the Monarchy, and so that their family will always have a place to call home in the UK.”
