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The Duke of Sussex has reimbursed the £ 2.4 million in taxpayer money used to renovate Frogmore Cottage.
Harry’s spokesperson confirmed that the Duke had paid the bill in full by making a contribution to the Sovereign Grant.
The payment was made possible by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new multi-million dollar Netflix deal, a source said.
Harry’s spokesman said: “The Duke of Sussex has made a contribution to the Sovereign Grant.
“This contribution, as originally offered by Prince Harry, has fully covered the necessary renovation costs for Frogmore Cottage, a property of Her Majesty The Queen, and will remain the UK residence of the Duke and his family.”
Last year’s real accounts showed the cost of the renovations, paid for out of taxpayers’ money, to be £ 2.4 million.
Harry and Meghan agreed to return the money and start paying the commercial rent as part of the plans drawn up when they resigned as royalty in March.
The couple faced a backlash when the cost of restoring the Grade II listed property near Windsor Castle fell on taxpayers.
The house, which is owned by the Crown Estate, was a gift from Harry’s grandmother, the Queen.
Republic, which is campaigning for an elected head of state, harshly criticized the amount spent at the time, saying, following news of Harry’s payment, that it should have paid the bill up front.
Republic’s Graham Smith said: “Harry should have paid this bill up front, rather than expecting the taxpayer to keep the cash.
“Now they have paid for the remodel while continuing to use the house each time they stay in the UK.
“Your statement claims that the cabin is owned by the Queen, which is not true.
“It belongs to the Crown Estate, which is there to raise revenue for the Treasury, so we have a right to know what rent they are paying for the place.”
He added: “Harry and Meghan have ended their active participation in royal duties and are now living in the USA, but they are still waiting for the British taxpayer to provide them with luxury accommodation, always available for when they choose to visit.
“Maybe they should get a loyalty card with Travelodge and save the taxpayer more wasted money.”
The main construction project at Frogmore Cottage involved converting five properties into a single mansion.
All accessories and accessories were paid for privately by the Duke and Duchess.
Work on the property in Berkshire was overrun and Harry and Meghan were reported to have made constant design changes, meaning the builders were delayed.
The £ 2.4 million bill included structural work, rewiring and flooring, among other costs.
A source said the couple will continue to live there with their son Archie when he visits the UK.
“The plan remains for Frogmore Cottage to be their main family home in the UK,” said the source.
They added that the couple would have returned to visit had it not been for the coronavirus outbreak.
Harry and former Suits actress Meghan, who recently bought an £ 11 million home in Montecito, Santa Barbara, are now based in the US as they seek a life of personal and financial freedom away from the monarchy.
The couple’s new Netflix deal to produce a variety of movies and series for the streaming service is reported to be worth $ 100 million (£ 76 million).
Jonathan Shalit, president of the talent agency InterTalent, has predicted that it could even be worth up to $ 250 million (£ 190 million) through bonuses.
PA media
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