Why Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle Don't Have To Pay For Expensive Designer Clothing

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle each have a lavish wardrobe for their royal engagements, but the two duchesses don't actually pay for their expensive clothing out of their own pockets.

However, the public doesn't pay for their extravagant clothing collection as well. So who exactly funds the outfits they wear during official events?

David McClure, a royal finance expert, recently revealed that their father-in-law Prince Charles is the one footing the bill for their designer outfits. Every year, the Prince of Wales' Duchy of Cornwall estate provides a fund of £5 million that serves as the official household budget.

"The public doesn't pay a penny for the clothes of Meghan and Kate," McClure said via Yahoo's "Royal Box." "The main source of funding for their official duties comes from Prince Charles as Duchy of Cornwall, which gives them £5million pounds a year."

The finance expert said it is uncertain how much exactly is allotted or spent on the duchesses' clothes as it's treated as a lump sum.

But it's likely a considerable amount as an Express report recently estimated Markle's maternity clothing wardrobe to have cost £634,000 ($827,839) in total. Prince Harry's wife wore a wide variety of brands for the 75 engagements she attended during her pregnancy, mixing both designer labels like Dior and high street wear.

Markle also reportedly spent a considerable amount last year after marrying Prince Harry and becoming a duchess. UFO No More reported that the former "Suits" actress wore 324 new items in 2018 alone, with 256 of them racking up a € 479,048 ($540,155) clothing bill.

In contrast, Middleton £55,000 in the year she became a duchess after marrying Prince William.

But it's not just Markle's clothes that are being funded by Prince Charles. The heir to the throne reportedly also pays for the clothing of his wife Camilla Parker-Bowles, Prince William, Middleton and Prince Harry, royal expert Victoria Arbiter told Global News.

Of course, this does not include clothing they use on their own private time as those reportedly come out of their pockets.