Why Harry and Meghan chose California rather than stay in Canada

[Taytocrisps]

I watched the Oprah interview back in the day (seems like ages ago now). H&M moved to Canada originally. They seemed happy enough initially. Then Covid hit and the press descended and I seem to remember Harry saying that they couldn't stay in Canada. So they moved to California.

Could someone explain why California was a better bet than Canada? Surely the press were likely to descend wherever they ended up. Maybe Harry explained it at the time and I've forgotten.

It's Meghan's home.

Only Harry needed a visa. Maybe they would not have ben eligible at all in Canada.

Warmer.

More stars for Meghan to try to mix with.

Wasn't it because the media found out where they were in Canada and it became untenable to stay there and then Tyler Perry randomly called them and offered them his house in CA? The fact I know that is worrying me slightly!

Vancouver is milder than other parts of Canada, but that's not saying much.
In December, for example, this is a weather comparison of Vancouver to Montecito, Just saying.

Maybe the relative proximity of Doria was a draw?

Meghan thought her marriage would catapult her to A list Hollywood, unfortunately for her, she’s slid back down to where she started

The press didn't "descend". I think Meghan always wanted to go back and live in California, it's where she's from. It's also a centre for show business, so she was more likely to develop a high profile media career there.

Canadian police were providing round the clock security for them - a reciprocal agreement because they were officially still Senior Working Royals.

Once they announced they were stepping back Canadian Govt said they would no longer be providing security. And it was "leaked" where they were staying.

COVID would close the borders and , IMO, Meghan always planned to move to LA. They contacted Tyler Perry and he provided the private jet and the LA house. FWIW, a FOI request by Radar online to the LAPD showed that the details of where they were staying in LA were leaked to the Press by the Sussexes.

Then they moved to Montecito. Meghan wanted to live among the Hollywood A Listers, and the initial plans were that that's who H&M would be too.

Harry has been trying to get his security funded ever since.

By the Sussexes - or MM?

Right, thank you. I did read that they got UK taxpayers funded protection in Canada. That all makes sense.

This. ⬆️

There was already a public outcry in Canada about taxpayer funded security being used to support the Sussex’s, while they took their year off in Canada. When they officially announced they would not be working royals, the Canadian government announced they would stop providing and paying for their security.

They were never going to stay in Canada, they were already in negotiations with Oprah, Netflix and Spotify before they even left the UK . Going via Canada to California was a red herring which they expected would camouflage their real destination and what they were secretly negotiating behind the scenes.

They expected US government paid security as Harry believed they were International Protected Persons (IPP), when he realised he was not an IPP and had to cover his own security costs,,he called on the billionaire stranger Tyler Perry, who was happy to provide all the things Harry believed the UK taxpayers should have continued to pay for him, no matter where he lived.

an internationally protected person* (IPP) is a high-ranking government official or diplomat who is given special legal safety when visiting another country

£££

FWIW, a FOI request by Radar online to the LAPD showed that the details of where they were staying in LA were leaked to the Press by the Sussexes.

I did NOT know that, so I googled it to make sure this was not some made up rumor (sorry !!!) but bloody hell they did.

“According to documents obtained via a Freedom of Information request filed with the Los Angeles Police Department, a reporter communicated with a Sussex spin doctor who provided the specific address of the temporary Tyler Perry estate where the couple was staying, while simultaneously complaining publicly about intense paparazzi and drone intrusion.”

They are unreal.

Apparently they are now leaking their kids school and new address while at the same time sending missives to the media about not revealing their kids school.

What? That's all just so crazy.

To be fair that’s what the reporter says. That’s not evidence.

Interesting. Where is the quote from?

I don’t believe they ever planned to stay in Canada. It was only a stop that they thought might be more acceptable because Canada is in the Commonwealth.

OP, you are assuming that they didn't want any press coverage. Of course they want press coverage, but only if it says exactly what they want it to say and presents them as wonderful global humanitarians.

California is Meghan's home and so much more hip and cool than Canada, as well as being the centre of the film industry. Canada is also part of the Commonwealth and the British monarch is their head of state so that might have presented some complications that even Harry would have been sensitive to.

Canada may have worked initially, when they were trying to pull the half-in/half-out trick, but after that didn't pan out for them, an Anglophone Commonwealth country as a place of self-imposed exile would have had too many connotations and complications. The US is also much vaster and populous so they could hide there, unlike in Canada with it's much smaller population.

A move to California straight away would also have given the impression that Meghan always wanted to move back home, she'd never planned on living permanently in the UK and being a real working royal. Canada was more neutral in this sense.