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A Rundown of Everything the British Royal Family Spent the Most Money On Last Year

The British royal family and their expenditure are topics often discussed by both the public and the press. People, whether they’re a fan of the monarchy or not, are curious about exactly what things royals spend their money on considering that part of this amount comes from British taxpayers. According to the financial report released by the Royal Household, the family received $104 million in funding from taxpayers in 2018.

This is where the money went.

Renovation Projects

The Buckingham Palace serves as the administrative headquarters of the monarchy

According to Insider, the royal family spent $3.4 million for the renovation of Buckingham Palace which is a 10-year project. An additional $19.3 million is also listed as a fund kept for future phases of the project.

Much of the renovations are set to affect the palace’s east wing which would undergo replacements in its mechanical and electrical infrastructure. New elevators will also be installed in the area. The constructions led the queen and the palace staff to temporarily move out of the wing.

Another $3 million was spent to refurbish Frogmore Cottage which now serves as the home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The 10-bedroom home used to be a staff headquarters and had to be renovated because of the poor condition of some of its units. The couple currently lives there with their newborn son, Archie.

Lastly, the royal family spent $1.7 million for Kensington Palace where other members of the clan, like Prince William and Kate Middleton’s family, live. Renovations at the palace include the resurfacing of the driveway and electrical and mechanical work in a cottage found on the grounds.

Workers’ Compensation

The Royal Household currently employs over 550 staff members

Another large expense that the royal family spends on is the salaries of the people they employ. In 2018, $29.5 million on paying the staff working at the five departments of the Royal Household. They are mainly based at St. James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace.

The five main departments of the household include the Private Secretary’s Office, Privy Purse and Treasurer’s Office, the Royal Collection Trust, the Lord Chamberlain’s Office and the Master of the Household’s Department.

Official Engagements

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their tour of Fiji last year

Meanwhile, the royal family also spends money on their official engagements. According to Insider, they on 3,200 official engagements last year. For overseas affairs, the royal family reportedly spent $1.2 million in 2018.

This includes the expenses incurred by Prince Harry and Markle during their royal tour of Fiji and Tonga which cost $103,000. Another $532,000 was spent for the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles’ 12-day Caribbean tour where they participated in various activities like taking a cocktail masterclass.

There’s also Prince William’s three-week secret work stint at MI5 and MI6. The prince worked with counter-terrorism teams from territories occupied by Israel, Palestine and Jordan. A total of $94,100 of taxpayer money was spent on the project.

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