King Charles reportedly now navigates a strained relationship with his son, Prince Harry, and his daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles reportedly now navigates a strained relationship with his son, Prince Harry, and his daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles III is shaking things up to slim down the monarchy, with the eviction of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle being the “tip of the iceberg”.
According to UK newspaper the Evening Standard, royal family members will no longer get mates’ rates on Crown properties.
It is understood that any subsidised rents – even for some working royals – will end over time with the King telling them to pay for their own homes and “cut their cloth” by 2028.
“The King is not some sort of housing association for distant relatives,” a source said.
“Properties will be let at commercial rates going forward and to people outside the family,” another insider said.
“Where it is in a palace environment they will of course be security vetted.”
The news comes after the Sussexes were evicted from their UK base, Frogmore Cottage, following the release of the Duke’s explosive memoir Spare.
Harry, Meghan and their two children at Frogmore Cottage. Photo / Netflix
Prince Andrew is also said to have been “evicted” from his palatial home in Windsor amid the King’s plans to cut his £249,000 (NZ $490,000) annual allowance next month.
After Queen Elizabeth II’s death, Charles ordered a review of how money is spent since taking control of the Duchy of Lancaster fund, a private estate valued at about £653 million (NZ $1.28 billion).
The late Queen continued to support the Duke of York with private funds from the Duchy but it is believed that Charles is keen for the royals to no longer be financially dependent on the crown.
Prince Andrew is also said to have been “evicted” from his palatial home in Windsor amid the King’s plans to cut his annual allowance. Photo / Getty Images
The new monarch has told non-working royals they should expect to tighten their belts.
Former UK MP Norman Baker, an expert on royal finances, told the Daily Mail: “It is absolutely right that the monarchy should slim down”.
“It is bloated and way more expensive than any other, than all other European monarchies.
“However what is suggested here looks reasonably superficial.
“The test is not whether there are fewer royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony, but whether the call upon public funds goes down, and whether Charles and William start paying tax properly.
“If he is serious, Charles can start by agreeing to pay inheritance tax on the private possessions left to him by the Queen rather than exempting himself at a cost of millions to the taxpayer.”
