The Real Reason Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Finally Started Paying Back Frogmore Debt

The cost of renovations to their former Windsor home was a hot issue while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were still working members of the royal family, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have officially started a new life together in Los Angeles after officially stepping down from their roles, are now paying for those costly changes. However, according to a report, the couple only started to do so after a particularly key moment.

According to Tatler, the couple was only able to agree to start paying back the Sovereign Grant for their refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, a home gifted to them by Queen Elizabeth II, after the payment of their security following their move was settled. The magazine reports that after the Canadian, American and British governments all refused to foot the bill for the couple’s continued security, Prince Charles stepped in to foot the bill.

As such, the couple is now paying an increased rent of £18,000 a month in order to start paying back the £2.4 million total that their refurbishment cost.

The initial price tag for their renovations infuriated and angered many at the time due to the cost to taxpayers via the Sovereign Grant. In fact, after the news first broke of the cost of the renovations, there was a further backlash when it was reported the pair might need to do a second round of renovations.

At the time, which was well before the couple announced plans to step back from royal life, it was reported that they had to file new paperwork with their plans due to an error with their garden design and that they had asked for the matter to be treated with secrecy because of security concerns. However, it was noted that if they had to re-do the work that had already been done, it was likely going to cause more uproar for the couple. The proposed plans allegedly included an organic vegetable plot, a kitchen garden, and £20,000 of shrubs, hedges or trees.

The pair went on to take a six-week break in Canada at the end of the year, before officially announcing plans to step away from their roles in January.