This £500,000 a year could pay the wages of 20 policeman or teachers. Considering this is a year on year cost, assuming these 2 princess live to a life expectancy of circa 80 the cost of protecting them will be approximately £30m. How can this cost possibly be justified?

The princesses themselves by courting the media and attending celebrity nightspots and parties are raising their own profile and putting themselves at greater risk of attack. It is their own choice to do this. Other royals do not need this protection. Why should the taxpayer fund security for them? If Prince Andrew is so keen to for his daughters to receive this level of protection in order "to preserve their status" then he should pay for it himself.