Whether Meghan and Harry will still rely on taxpayers’ cash remains unclear after vowing to become ‘finally independent’
WHETHER Harry and Meghan are still going to receive taxpayers’ money was unclear last night.
The Queen’s statement said that the couple “have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives”.
They have already said they will give up their income from the Sovereign Grant — cash given to the Queen to pay for official royal duties.
The Sussexes use their share for an office and staff at Buckingham Palace.
But the royals regard the money from the Duchy of Cornwall — set up to support the heirs to the throne — as private income.
And it is expected that Harry and Meghan will want to keep that.
Yet critics argue that the multi-million pound Duchy counts as public money, as without a Royal Family the revenue would go to the Exchequer.
As the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, Charles receives all the profit from the Duchy and distributes part of it to William and Harry. Last year, the boys shared around £5million.
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Wills received a little more than half, leaving Harry with around £2.3million.
It is also unclear whether Harry and Meghan will pay rent on Frogmore Cottage, in the grounds of Windsor Castle, which was refurbished last year with £2.4million of cash from the Sovereign Grant.
And the Sussexes will also still have their estimated £600,000 bill for six police bodyguards charged to the British taxpayer.
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