TORONTO -- Despite their long lens, visiting paparazzi have had difficulty snapping photographs of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan in their new home on Vancouver Island due, in part, to the reluctance of water taxi owners to transport them.
Island Water Taxi owner Reg Kirkham said heās refused several requests from members of the media in recent weeks who wished to tour the area for a glimpse of the royal couple.
āWeāre just not believers in invading peopleās privacy, especially Harry and Meghan and what theyāre going through,ā he told Ā鶹“«Ć½ Channel on Friday. āThey donāt need to be bothered.ā
Kirkham, who operates his private charter in the Gulf Islands, which is located between Vancouver Island and mainland B.C., said heās not the only one turning down potential customers out of respect for the Duke and Duchess of Sussexās privacy.
āIāve had other business fellows who charter boats who have had calls also, and we arenāt available,ā he said. āWeāre a very small-type community so we donāt like strangers just hanging out in bushes with cameras and stuff like that.ā
Kirkham, who lives in the small seaside town of Sidney, B.C. on Vancouver Island, described the areaās residents as tight-knit, but considerate of each otherās space.
āWeāre one of the most beautiful places in the world. Weāre safe and weāre quiet and we just do our own thing,ā he explained. āWe have a very high-profile wealthy neighbourhood with multi-billionaire islands and all these things, but we all just work together to look after each other.ā
Prince Harry, Meghan and their baby Archie have been temporarily living at a luxurious waterfront mansion in North Saanich since December when they opted to spend the holidays there instead of in England with the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family.
In early January, the couple came under intense media scrutiny with reporters from around the world descending on Vancouver Island in the wake of the coupleās bombshell announcement they would be stepping back from official royal duties and splitting their time in Canada and the U.K.
Kirkham said itās been a ābusy timeā in the area for everyone because of their new famous neighbours.
Anne Girling, a resident on the island, said she met the Duchess of Sussex while she was out jogging on a nature trail and they wished each other āGood morning.ā She said sheās opposed to the intense intrusions by the media.
āWe donāt like it. Leave them in peace,ā she told AFP in January.
Another resident, Sue Starkey, said sheās āproudā that her neighbourhood has been respectful of the royalsā privacy.
āI'm really happy they're here and I hope they can find some peace,ā she told AFP.
While Kirkham said he has a relative who ābumpedā into Meghan while on a walk in the neighbourhood, he said he hasnāt spotted the royals himself and he doesnāt have any plans to try to catch a glimpse of them, either.
āI havenāt even driven through the neighborhood because Iāve been here 45 years. I know the neighbourhood. Iām not looking for that type of excitement,ā he said.
With files from Agence France-Presse
