Prince Harry repays £2.4m taxpayer money for UK home renovation

Money was spent on work before he gave up royal duties

Prince Harry has repaid £2.4m in British taxpayers’ money that was used to renovate the home intended for him and his wife Meghan. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Prince Harry has repaid £2.4 million in British taxpayers’ money that was used to renovate his home in Windsor before he and his wife Meghan gave up royal duties and moved to California.

Harry made a contribution to the Sovereign Grant, the public money that goes to the royal family, a spokesman for the couple said on Monday.

He said the contribution “fully covered the necessary renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage", near Queen Elizabeth II’s Windsor Castle home, west of London.

The spokesman said Frogmore Cottage would remain the home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they visit the UK.

Royal accounts for 2019 show that £2.4m (Dh11.6m/$3.1m) was spent on renovating the house, including structural work, rewiring and new flooring.

Harry and Meghan agreed to pay back the money and start paying rent as part of plans drawn up when they quit as senior working royals in March.

They recently bought a house in Santa Barbara, California, and last week announced a deal with Netflix to produce films and series for the streaming service.