WASHINGTON — The United States will not pay to protect Prince Harry and his wife Meghan if they stay in the United States, President Donald Trump said on Sunday, amid reports that the couple have moved to the US from Canada.

"I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom. It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the US however, the US will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!" Trump tweeted.

Reacting to Trump’s comments, the pair said they had no plans to ask for publicly funded security in the US.

In a statement released through a spokesperson on Sunday, the couple said: "The duke and duchess have no plans to ask the US government for security resources. Privately funded security arrangements have been made."

In January, Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step back from royal life and become "financially independent," sharing their desire to "carve out a progressive new role within this institution" in an Instagram post.

They will formally step down as senior royals on 31 March and will no longer carry out duties on behalf of the Queen, but these arrangements will be reviewed after one year. — Agencies