Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s home renovations cost taxpayers £2.4m
'All fixtures and fittings were paid for by Their Royal Highnesses'
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Your support makes all the difference.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex renovated their Windsor home using £2.4m of taxpayers’ money, royal accounts reveal.
Harry and Meghan moved into Frogmore Cottage, which is half a mile south of Windsor Castle, shortly before the birth of their son, Archie.
Prior to the move, the Grade II listed building was made up of five separate housing units and major renovations were required to turn it into a single home fit for the royal couple.
It took roughly six months to complete and has reportedly been fitted with a mother-and-baby yoga room, a luxury bathroom and kitchen and new flooring.
All new fittings and fixtures have been privately paid for by the couple.
According to accounts for the Sovereign Grant, which is the payment given to the monarchy by the government to fund official expenses, the royal family cost UK taxpayers £67m in the last financial year, nearly £20m more than the previous year.
The majority of the increase is due to maintaining royal palaces across the country and updating services at Buckingham Palace.
The Core Sovereign Grant, which specifically provides funding to the Queen and her household, increased from £3.6m to £49.3m in the last financial year.
Sir Michael Stevens, who, as Keeper of the Privy Purse is responsible for managing the royal family’s finances, said Frogmore Cottage "had not been the subject of work for some years and had already been earmarked for renovation in line with our responsibility to maintain the condition of the occupied royal palaces estate."
He added: "The Sovereign Grant covered the work undertaken to turn the building into the official residence and home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their new family. The building was returned to a single residence and outdated infrastructure was replaced to guarantee the long-term future of the property. Substantially all fixtures and fittings were paid for by Their Royal Highnesses."
Frogmore Cottage sits in the grounds of Frogmore House, where Meghan and Harry held their wedding reception in May 2018.
News of their move was announced in November by Kensington Palace:
“Windsor is a very special place for their Royal Highnesses and they are grateful that their official residence will be on the estate," it said at the time.
The property has been a royal residence since 1792 and takes its name from the frogs that live in the nearby marshy area.
The couple made the move to Windsor shortly after it was announced that The Queen had agreed to the creation of a new household for them based at Buckingham Palace.
Last week, The Royal Foundation confirmed that Harry and Meghan would formally split from their joint charity with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and set up their own foundation.
Prince William and Kate Middleton will remain with the original charity, which will be renamed the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
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