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Prince Harry has returned the £ 2.4 million of taxpayer money that was used to renovate Frogmore Cottage.
A spokesman for the prince confirmed that the duke had paid the bill in full by making a contribution to the Sovereign Grant.
The payment was made possible by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new multi-million dollar Netflix deal, a source said.
The source added that Harry and Meghan were now completely independent financially and saw the payment as “another significant step in their new life.”
“There was never any request from the Queen or the Crown Estate to pay for this, but it was something they wanted to do,” the source said.
“It was important to them that they didn’t want to be seen attracting the taxpayer.”
The decision was also aimed at removing “the expectation from the tabloids that they were fair game.”
Harry and Meghan also receive no further financial support from the Prince of Wales, the source confirmed.
The couple previously took over the funds for their own safety when they resigned as royalty in March.
They had been paying the Frogmore Cottage bill in installments, believed to be £ 18,000 a month, which would have taken over a decade, but the Netflix deal meant they could pay it back in full.
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 stepped down as royalty.
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 a £ 11 million ‘forever’ house in Montecito, Santa Barbara, are now based in the US as they pursue 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.
Jonathan Shalit, president of the talent agency InterTalent, has predicted that it could even be worth up to $ 250 million (£ 190 million) through bonuses.
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