Frogmore Cottage: Prince Harry has paid back the cost of renovating Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle. Estimated at £2.4m in 2018-19, the cost was paid back by taxpayers in the form of Sovereign Grant.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle had assured that they would repay it after stepping back from royal duties. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex confirmed that Harry had paid the bill in full through a contribution to the grant, adding that the property will serve as a UK residence for the Prince and his family.
This revelation comes days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle opened up about a deal they had reached with Netflix to create a wide range of programs, some of which they may appear in. This multi-year deal comprises feature films, children’s programming, scripted shows, docu-series, and documentaries.
Rather than being a lovely family home, the Frogmore Cottage became one of the reasons Harry and Meghan decided to leave Britain, along with the official site of the Royal Family. The cost of renovation, which came up to £2.4m in 2018-19, was slated to be followed by more expenses, provoking a series of largely illusory stories about what the money was spent on, and strong criticism.
This came when the couple was setting up their first place together for their child. Both Harry and Meghan were subject to what they described as unfair and intrusive comments.
Taxpayer funding has been an embarrassing subject for the Royal Family for quite some time now, making it a point of purchase for critics. These critics allude to the costs of security and the Sovereign Grant and ask whether the monarchy lives extravagantly and provides value for money.
In the negotiation over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping back from royal duties, money was a serious issue. The couple announced that they would reimburse the cost of renovating Frogmore Cottage.
This contribution as originally offered by Prince Harry has fully covered the necessary renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage, a property of Her Majesty The Queen, and will remain the UK residence of the duke and his family,” Prince Harry’s spokesman said of the repayment.