Queen Elizabeth news: Cost of William & Kate’s Caribbean tour REVEALED in annual report on royal grant spending
WILLIAM & Kate’s lavish three-day Caribbean trip cost £226,000, according to an eye-opening annual report on royal spending.
The Duke and Duchess‘ visit to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas in March by the Voyager minister jet cost £226,383 and included the cost of planning a trip to the three countries by royal staff.
William and Kate received a warm welcome in the Caribbean but faced protests from those calling for an apology and reparations for slavery.
Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said as planned the shortfall between the £102.4 million spent on the monarchy and the £86.3 Sovereign Grant, used to fund official duties and building work, was met by drawing on reserves and supplementary income from sources like the Royal Collection Trust, which opens royal residences to the public.
Sir Michael, who is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household, said: “The Sovereign Grant shows increased net expenditure at 102.4 million, up 17%, with the majority of the increased spend coming on the Buckingham Palace reservicing programme, which saw a 41% increase in spend to £54.6 million.”
Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, has called for what it claims is the “true cost of the monarchy” to be reported in the accounts – an estimated £345 million a year.
The £369 million reservicing programme is updating the electrical cabling, plumbing and heating at Buckingham Palace over 10 years and the royal aide said they were “confident” they would be within budget.
A deadline was set last year to complete a number of projects to allow scaffolding to be removed from key areas so the palace could play its part in Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
He added: “Looking ahead, with the Sovereign Grant likely to be flat in the next couple of years, inflationary pressures on operating costs and our ability to grow supplementary income likely to be constrained in the short term, we will continue to deliver against our plans and manage these impacts through our own efforts and efficiencies.”
Read our Royal Family live blog below for the latest news…