Long before King Charles took over as monarch, it was widely known that he was planning a "slimmed-down monarchy."
When he unexpectedly decided to evict Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, it was apparently the first of many planned moves towards that vision.
As it stands, many extended and non-working members of the family are currently living in apartments subsidized by the Royal Family, including apartments in Palaces, which some relatives' children use as "London pads."
"Over time, that is going to change," a source told the Evening Standard. "Properties will be let at commercial rates going forward and to people outside the family. Where it is in a palace environment they will of course be security vetted."
A senior royal source added, "A lot of practices that have evolved during the last reign will be changing. The King is not heartless or reckless, but if the family members are not part of the core family and not working for the crown, it is fair for them to house themselves and fund themselves."
Meanwhile, another source didn't mince their words: "The King is not some sort of housing association for distant relatives," they said. Fair, I guess?
Unfortunately, the King's plan also reportedly includes cutting the number of staff employed by royal houses, which could mean substantial job loss.
All of these moves are presumably designed to help the monarchy move firmly into the 21st century, and not cost as much for the taxpayer—which is one of the main complaints anti-monarchists have against the institution. Let's see how it all pans out.
