‘Financially independent’ Prince Harry paid Easter visit to England with Meghan
- The Sussexes have achieved financial independence, according to a royal source
- Harry and Meghan paid for their own flights when they visited the UK over Easter
- Royal officials also said the couple’s decision to repay £2.4million on their Frogmore Cottage home in Windsor was a ‘good deal’ for taxpayers
Harry and Meghan are now “financially independent” and paid for their own flights when they visited England over Easter.
Royal officials also said the couple’s decision to repay £2.4million on their Frogmore Cottage home in Windsor was a ‘good deal’ for taxpayers.
A royal source said of the Sussexes’ financial independence: “They have great honour…that has now been achieved.”
The accounts show that the amount they paid to cover the renovation of their former marital home — which they’ve only used as a family once since moving to the US — includes undisclosed future rent costs.
The couple also finance the general upkeep of their former home such as the maintenance of the garden, with the taxpayer funded Sovereign Grant effectively acting as the ‘landlord’ and undertaking larger works such as anything that needs to be done on the outside of the house. be done.
The bills show the amount they paid to cover the renovation of their former marital home – which they have used only once as a family since they moved to the US
Harry and Meghan are now ‘financially independent’ and paid for their own flights when visiting England over Easter
Frogmore, a Grade II listed building owned by the Crown Estate, was a gift from Harry’s grandmother, the Queen.
The senior royal source said the rent was calculated independently and based on market values.
“I can be confident that this is a good deal for both the Sovereign Grant and the taxpayer,” she added.
Royal sources also announced yesterday that the Prince of Wales had a ‘very emotional’ first meeting with his granddaughter Lilibet and a special meeting with grandson Archie as Harry and Meghan returned to the UK for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
Charles and Camilla were “absolutely excited” to see the family.
Harry has had a troubled relationship with Charles, and last year told Oprah Winfrey how he felt abandoned by his father, who he claimed had let him down financially – a claim strongly disputed by well-placed sources.
But a senior royal aide said during the Clarence House annual review briefing that it had been ‘great’ to have the Sussexes back in the UK in early June.
‘It was fantastic to see them. It was great to have them back in the UK,” said the source.
Frogmore, a Grade II listed building owned by the Crown Estate, was a gift from Harry’s grandmother, the Queen
‘The Prince and the Duchess were overjoyed to see them.
“The Prince obviously hasn’t seen his grandson Archie in a while and so it was very, very, very special to spend some time with him.
“He hadn’t met Lili, his granddaughter, so it was very emotional to meet her, something very, very beautiful.”
Charles’ bill for the operations of William and Harry and their families, and other expenses, including capital expenditures and transfer to reserves, has fallen by £1.2 million in two years, with the Sussexes no longer included in the accounts.
This year’s accounts showed the heir to the throne’s annual private income from the Duchy of Cornwall had risen by nearly 13 per cent to £23 million as the duchy’s profits recovered after the pandemic.
As heir apparent, Charles is entitled to the surplus generated by the Duchy’s vast portfolio of land, buildings and financial investments.
Charles spent £3.3 million – a quarter of a million more than last year – on unofficial expenses for himself and his family, including payroll costs of personal staff and part of the costs of gardeners and farm workers.
His official expenditure on royal duties and charity work was £9.2 million.
The prince voluntarily paid almost £5.9 million in taxes.