Prince Harry and Meghan Markle officially left Kensington Palace earlier this year, moving into their newly renovated Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage, just weeks before Archie’s birth.
This year has been dedicated to a huge renovation on the property, converting their early 19th-century Grade II-listed white stucco building into a modern haven.
The refurb reportedly converted five different apartments into one big home for the Duke and Duchess, that according to sources is very high tech.
‘Harry loves his gadgets,’ sources have explained. ‘It’s going to be very cool. They’ll be able to control everything from their smart phones’.
But what kind of features can we expect? Well, apparently a yoga studio with a special floor, grand fireplaces and ‘an elaborate Gone With The Wind-style double staircase’.
But it wasn’t the ‘floating floor’ or staircases that got everyone talking about Frogmore Cottage this week. It wasn’t even the couple’s LA-style organic garden.
Instead, it was the cost, with it reported this week that the renovations had cost the taxpayer £2.4 million.
‘The property had not been the subject of work for some years and had already been earmarked for renovation in line with our responsibility to maintain the condition of the occupied royal palaces estate,’ announced Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, responsible for royal accounts, via Hello Magazine. ’The Sovereign Grant covered the work undertaken to turn the building into the official residence and home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their new family.’
‘The building was returned to a single residence and outdated infrastructure was replaced to guarantee the long-term future of the property. Substantially all fixtures and fittings were paid for by Their Royal Highnesses.’
The internet divided on the subject, with many users finding fault with the concept.
‘I’m sorry but Harry and Meghan spending £2.4M of tax payers cash on renovations to their Frogmore Cottage home is an absolute joke,’ tweeted one user. ‘It's taking the piss.’
‘It would be if it was taxpayers money used,’ another Twitter user replied. ‘It’s profit from the crown estates which is a net contributor to our tax pots. I’d suggest you bother to go learn how the royals are actually funded.’
Other twitter users however were quick to defend the royals, with Martin Sanders explaining: ‘Frogmore Cottage doesn't belong to Harry Windsor nor the Queen. It belongs to the nation. There will be no doubt more value added to the property than the cost of the renovations. Hence the nation wins both financially and culturally.’
What do you think?
