Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now merely "celebrities" and thus, "not entitled to security", it has been claimed today.

Despite the fact that Harry has been stalked on multiple occasions, including twice in London by a "fixated individual" who came "within yards" of him during his recent UK visit, this argument persists.

The Duke of Sussex's private security had to intervene when the woman breached a "secure zone" at a hotel, and two days later, she was just "a stone's throw" away from him during his visit to Imperial College London's Centre for Blast Injury Studies.

However, despite these alarming incidents, it is argued that Harry and Meghan, now considered "mere celebrities," should not have their security funded by British taxpayers. Jane Moore, a columnist and regular on Loose Women, stated: "I sympathise. But the right (or not) to state-backed police protection is decided by executive committee Ravec, which decided that, as he is no longer a working royal, he's not entitled to it."

She continued: "Indeed, thanks to their various commercial deals, it could be argued that Harry and Meghan are now classed as mere 'celebrities.'"

Jane voiced her thoughts in a column for The Sun this week, arguing the pair have chased commercial deals since relocating from the UK to the US five years ago. They revealed they were standing down as working members of the Royal family in January 2020.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were subsequently informed they would be given a "bespoke" security arrangement, requiring them to provide 30 days' notice for any UK visits, with each trip being evaluated for threat levels and whether protection is necessary.

However, Jane, 63, insisted Harry and Meghan should not be granted such protection if they are now regarded as celebrities.

The journalist continued: "With alarming frequency, the newspapers are full of stories about other celebrities (particularly women) whose lives are blighted by stalkers that they don't get state-backed police protection from. So if Harry was to get it, then why not them?".

The publication highlighted high-profile stalking incidents, including that of Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, who relocated her mother to a different residence due to the actions of 37-year-old creep Kyle Shaw.

Nevertheless, Shaw's prison sentence was suspended for 20 months at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Myleene Klass' stalker was convicted on Tuesday after dispatching her 'disturbing' unwanted letters and an air pistol. The singer revealed her residence is now like "Fort Knox" and "Alcatraz" following the ordeal.