Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Pay Back UK for Frogmore Cottage: Are They Forced To Do It?
After signing a multi-year Netflix deal, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced that they have reimbursed British taxpayers for the renovation of their Frogmore Cottage.
In a statement obtained by Town and Country, a spokesperson from the Sussexes explained that cash has been paid to the Sovereign Grant.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Paid $3.1 Million Over Frogmore Renovation
"A contribution has been made to the Sovereign Grant by The Duke of Sussex. This contribution as originally offered by Prince Harry has fully covered the necessary renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage, a property of Her Majesty The Queen, and will remain the UK residence of The Duke and his family."
As part of their agreement with the Queen with regards to "Megxit," the former royals paid back $3.1 million to the taxpayers over the renovation of their Windsor home -- instead of monthly installments which costs $23,000, including rent.
Sussexes "Forced" To Pay British Taxpayers?
After the news, Sky News' Royal Correspondent Rhiannon Mills claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were "forced" to pay the British taxpayers sooner after being criticized over their lucrative production deal with the streaming giant.
"I think the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's hands have been forced this week after it was announced that they'd signed that enormous deal with Netflix. So if they're bringing in that money, it makes sense that they're going to pay this money back to the taxpayer for this home that they still want to keep here in the UK," Mills claimed.
Prince Harry and Meghan markle reportedly signed a $150 million deal with Netflix that would cover documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted shows and children's programming that will not only give information "but also give hope" to viewers.
In addition, they plan to create a product that will focus on stories that they are "passionate" about, as well as issues that support their non-profit organization, Archewell.
Brits Slam the Sussexes Over Costly Frogmore Cottage Renovation
Moreover, the royal correspondent also recalled how the Frogmore renovations sparked outrage from Brits following the couple's decision to leave the royal family.
"The reason that people again started talking about just how much money it cost to refurbish it was because, at the start of the year, Harry and Meghan announced they wanted to step away from royal duties," Mills added.
Britons slammed the runaway royals for wanting to keep the Frogmore estate as their UK residence despite not being considered as working royals.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle "Very Pleased" To Settle Their Debt
Meanwhile, Vanity Fair cited that the controversial couple is "very relieved and very pleased" that they paid off their debt sooner rather than later.
Although the Queen has "no requirement" for them to pay the sovereign grant immediately, the Sussexes believe that "they were in a position to do so" and now sees this as one of the "significant moments" of their post royal life.
