Meghan and Harry's Frogmore Cottage Repayments Have Started

london, england march 09 prince harry, duke of sussex and meghan, duchess of sussex attend the commonwealth day service 2020 at westminster abbey on march 09, 2020 in london, england photo by karwai tangwireimage

(Image credit: Karwai Tang)

published 18 May 2020

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have reportedly started paying back the cost of renovations at Frogmore Cottage, their U.K. home, as they pledged to do after stepping down as senior royals.
The cottage was renovated for the Sussexes at a cost of about $2.9 million, paid for by the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant.
Meghan and Harry will pay about $22,000 a month, the Times reports.

When they announced their decision to step down as senior members of the Royal Family, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry pledged to become financially independent, and pay back the £2.4 million (about $2.9 million) spent by the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant on renovating their U.K. home, Frogmore Cottage. And the couple have stayed true to their word: As the Times of London reports, the Sussexes have started paying £18,000 a month (about $22,000) for Frogmore.

Meghan and Harry are paying "enhanced rent," according to the Times, meaning that £18,000 incorporates both rent for Frogmore Cottage—which was initially a rent-free wedding gift from the Queen—and an added sum to contribute towards the renovations bill. It's not clear exactly how much the couple are paying for rent, and how much they're directing towards repayment.

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal)
A photo posted by on

In their January announcement, the Sussexes stated their intention to "step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent." A subsequent statement from Buckingham Palace read, "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their U.K. family home."

Meghan Markle's Most Iconic Fashion Moments

Image 1 of 53

commonwealth day service 2020 — (Image credit: Karwai Tang)

March 9, 2020

Meghan and Prince Harry attend the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey with all of the royal family. Meghan is wearing a custom Emilia Wickstead dress and carrying a Gabriela Hearst Demi bag; she's also wearing Birks earrings and Aquazzura heels.

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

subscribe here