The Duke and Duchess of Sussex take baby Archie to meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town.
Video / AP
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's last official royal tour cost British taxpayers nearly £250,000 - that's $500,000 - official accounts have revealed.
The couple's trip to South Africa, Botswana, Angola and Malawi last year was one of the biggest royal events of the year, writes the Daily Mail.
But the publicly-funded trip became known for the couple's stinging rebuke of the media during the tour, while Meghan accused Harry's family of failing to ever "ask if she was okay" during a secretly filmed TV documentary.
The Sussexes stepped down from their royal roles months after the trip and now live in the US, where they've just signed a multi-million dollar Netflix deal.
And royal accounts made public today show that £245,643 ($478,330) was spent on a private jet and scheduled flights for the couple and their attendants in the most expensive royal trip of the year.
Sources say it was a key visit approved by the Foreign Office that highlighted the work of countless charities.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex undertook over 20 engagements, bringing attention to a number of worthwhile causes, in particular, raising awareness of the work and the legacy of the Halo Trust [an anti-landmine charity championed by Princess Diana]," the source said.
"The visit, as an official visit funded by the Government, fulfilled the objectives that were set out for it."
Royal officials spent £210,345 ($409,646) to send Prince Charles to Oman on a private charter plane to pay his respects after the death of the king in a trip lasting just two days.
Harry and Meghan's Africa tour was the most expensive royal trip last year. Photo / Getty Images
William and Kate's Pakistan tour last year was the third most expensive royal trip at £117,116, ($228,079) but ministers said it was a huge success.
The £15,848 ($30,863) spent on a private jet to send Prince Andrew to the Royal Portrush Golf club in Northern Ireland last July also raised some eyebrows.
But a palace source defended his use of a charter flight, saying: "In this particular case we concluded that, actually, the use of charter was the only way to get him to complete his engagements to fit in with his other programmes."
Princess Anne spent £16,440 ($32,016) on yet another private jet to fly from London to Rome and back to watch Scotland play against Italy in the Six Nations Rugby International.
The total royal travel bill for 2019/2020 added up to £5.3m, ($10.3m) increasing by 15.2 per cent since last year's £4.6m, ($8.9m) according to the palace's annual report.
But anti-monarchist group Republic said the accounts didn't reflect the true yearly cost of the monarchy - if you take into account lost revenue from royal estates, policing and the cost to local councils, it adds up to £345m ($671m).
Spokesman Graham Smith said the figures didn't disclose the "daily abuse of money" on shorter trips around the country.
"Taking helicopters when they could go by car, driving when they could go by train.
"A 15 per cent increase in travel costs when hospitals can't deliver the very best care to every person in need, when teachers are struggling to pay for the necessary books and equipment and the police are stretched to breaking point is scandalous.
