Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Spent $3M of Taxpayers' Money to Renovate Frogmore Cottage

This week, the Royal Family released the Sovereign Grant Report. The report detailed the family’s expenditure for the past year including renovations to the new home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

On Monday, the Royal Family’s Sovereign Grant accounts were published. They revealed that Prince Harry and his wife Duchess had spent more than $3 million of taxpayer’s monies on their new home.

Frogmore Cottage is situated on the grounds of Windsor Castle. In the spring, the couple moved out of Kensington Palace amid reports that there was a rift between the Sussex’s and Prince William and his wife Duchess Kate.

Frogmore, a gift from the Queen, reportedly needed a “substantial overhaul.” Despite the renovations costing so much already, it’s believed that they could go up further.

"They could’ve avoided it by moving in next door to William and Kate."

The work done on the cottage could still need around $700 000 for landscaping and decorating. It’s alleged that Harry and Meghan were offered the palace's Apartment 1 after they got married last year.

The luxurious apartment has 21 rooms and adjoins William and Kate's Apartment 1A. However, the couple chose to move to Frogmore Cottage which is 20 miles away and they’ve been there since April.

Royal expert Robert Jobson had this to say:

“They [Harry and Meghan] should’ve seen this coming, they could’ve avoided it by moving in next door to William and Kate. The royal family does pay for itself overall but the way this has been handled is not very good.”

Jobson is famous for writing the best-selling biography on Prince Charles last year. Someone else who wasn’t pleased with how taxpayer’s monies were used was Graham Smith who is from the Republic campaign group.

He would love to see the monarchy abolished. Smith stated: “If even one school or hospital is facing cuts we cannot justify spending a penny on the royals. Yet with all public services under intense financial pressure we throw £2.4 million [around $3 million] at a new house for Harry.”

Frogmore Cottage is 19th-century building that had been changed into five smaller staff houses and needed to be converted into a home for the Sussex’s. Part of the work done on the property was to replace the ceilings and floors and adding new bathrooms, bedrooms, and a kitchen.

Some things that weren’t added in the home were a yoga studio. They did, however, budget for a “floating floor” for the main kitchen area to protect an old one.

Harry and Meghan also recently became parents to baby Archie Harrison on May 6. It was revealed that the little boy was given birth to at the private Portland Hospital in Westminster.

Rumors claimed his mother had intended to give birth to him at Frogmore.