Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s $3 Million Home Renovation Sparks Outrage

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are at the center of a public outcry over the outrageous expenses for the renovation of their Frogmore home. Taxpayers are crying foul over having to foot the bill.

Since they decided to move out of Kensington Palace to their new home in Windsor, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been receiving a lot of flak. Apart from rumors swirling the move was caused by a rift with Prince William and Duchess Kate, they’re now receiving a wave of criticism for their outrageous expense on renovations.

HARRY AND MEGHAN'S RENOVATION COST EXPANDS

According to the Daily Mail, there’s a public outcry over the ballooning amount of people’s money spent on fixing up the couple’s Frogmore cottage. What was originally an estimated expenditure of $1.9 million is now projected to shoot up to $3.8 million.

The exterior of the residence has yet to be repainted and Meghan reportedly chose eco-friendly, toxin-free vegan paint for the whole home. Interior designer Vicky Charles was hired to oversee everything.

The Queen reportedly gifted the couple with their refurbishing expense amounting to $3 million as part of her $55 million spent for the upkeep of the royal palaces over the past 12 months. However, the outrageous amount didn’t seem to be enough with the final cost assumed to increase by almost a million.

FROGMORE GETS A "SUBSTANTIAL OVERHAUL"

The restoration of the 5-bedroom cottage was described as a “substantial overhaul” in a Sovereign Grant report released by the palace. This included converting the five-property area into a single home. Apart from the upgrade of heating, wiring, and utilities, there were also renovations done on the kitchens, bathrooms, fitted wardrobes and storage. Fireplaces, floors, ceilings, and staircases were likewise replaced.

Sources from the palace claim Harry and Meghan coughed up their own money for fixtures and fittings including curtains and furnishings and anything deemed too expensive for public money to cover.

The exterior of the residence has yet to be repainted and Meghan reportedly chose eco-friendly, toxin-free vegan paint for the whole home. Interior designer Vicky Charles was hired to oversee everything.

PALACE DEFENDS RENOVATION COSTS

Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Michael Stevens justified the renovations and its cost by saying Frogmore Cottage was due for refurbishing.

“The property had not been the subject of work for some years and had already been earmarked for renovation,” he told reporters at Buckingham Palace on Monday.

Moreover, sources from the palace claim Harry and Meghan coughed up their own money for fixtures and fittings including curtains and furnishings and anything deemed too expensive for public money to cover.

“It is particularly galling that they’re allowed to get away this whilst public services need money."

REPUBLICANS SLAM FROGMORE EXPENDITURE

However, no amount of justification will silence campaigners who would rather the outrageous amount spent on renovation was put to better use.

For instance, Republican anti-monarchy campaign spokesperson Graham Smith had this to say:

“It is particularly galling that they’re allowed to get away this whilst public services need money."

He adds,

"This year’s increases are outrageous at a time of widespread spending cuts...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 £2.4million at a new house for Harry.”

"I’ve got no problem with Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wanting to live in such a grand property, but I do have a big problem with being forced to pay for it."

PIERS MORGAN REVEALS TAXPAYERS' SENTIMENTS

TV host Piers Morgan also expressed the same sentiment in his column for the Daily Mail.

“Now, I’ve got no problem with Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wanting to live in such a grand property, but I do have a big problem with being forced to pay for it."

Morgan claimed 87 percent of over 14,000 who participated in a poll agreed they taxpayers shouldn’t be made to shoulder the expense.

THE SUSSEXES DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE CAMBRIDGES

After their engagement, Harry and Meghan nested at Nottingham Cottage in Kensington. They were offered an apartment adjacent to Prince William and Kate’s Apartment 1A following their wedding but the couple declined. They chose to live 20 miles away fueling rumors of a rift between the two couples. The rumored rift was reportedly the reason why the Sussexes split from the Cambridges' Royal Foundation last week.

Harry and Meghan welcomed their first son in the spring, about the same time they moved to Frogmore. Perceived by many as the couple who chooses to defy tradition and live more privately, they’ve been constantly bashed for their decisions.

As they move forward in their family life, it is expected that they would remain under observance with the public hot on their heels.