The Duke of Sussex has reimbursed the full cost of renovating Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle, according to his spokesman. The property, which underwent extensive refurbishment in 2018-19 at an estimated cost of £2.4 million, was initially funded by taxpayers through the Sovereign Grant.
Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex had pledged to repay the sum after stepping back from senior royal duties in March. A spokesman confirmed that a contribution to the Sovereign Grant had now fully covered the renovation costs. The cottage remains the UK residence of the duke and his family.
The repayment follows the couple's recent announcement of a multi-year deal with Netflix to produce documentaries, feature films, scripted shows and children's programming. The renovation cost had attracted critical commentary at the time, with various speculative stories circulating about how the money was spent.
The Sovereign Grant is derived from the profits of the Crown Estate, which are transferred to the Treasury and then allocated to the monarch for official duties. The decision to repay the refurbishment costs was part of the arrangements made when the couple stepped back from their roles as working royals.
