The Financial Report for Frogmore Cottage Renovations Was "Misleading"

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(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo)

published 25 July 2019

Oh, this is really interesting. Part of the fan-related backlash over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle not releasing media photos of Archie Harrison's christening comes down to the idea that British citizens' taxes are used by the British royal family. So, basically, that would include the large-scale renovations on the previously "dilapidated" Frogmore Cottage—so fans think that Harry and Meghan should provide photos that the public absolutely wants to see. But the reality, according to Express, is reportedly more complicated than that.

This is how it works, according to Express: "The money for the Frogmore renovation was provided to the Duke and Duchess from the Queen, out of funds from the Sovereign Grant, which replaced and streamlined the Civil List in 2011." If you remember, the renovations were listed to have cost £2.4 million, nearly $3 million.

Citing royal author Penny Junor, "The taxpayer doesn’t actually pay for the monarchy at all. It is paid for by the revenue that comes from the Crown Estates. The taxpayer doesn’t pay a penny." (Not everyone agrees with her—some say that the revenue belongs to the nation, not the royalty, but the point is the same).

Here's the thing, though. Even if the taxpayer had to cover the cost, it would have averaged to about four pence (six cents) per taxpayer. Meghan and Harry also covered a good chunk of renovations themselves, further ensuring that the cost remained lower than it could have been. When the report came out, royal reporter Rebecca English assessed that it looked the royals have also been decreasing their spending overall, looking at the past few years.

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I totally get it: More baby photos are always preferable, and Archie is the cutest. But I also totally get that security is also a concern for the Sussexes—and they're still figuring things out, since Archie is their first child. So the argument that fans "deserve" to see the royal baby might actually be much more complex than all that.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.