Royal return

Her Majesty's shining example is revealed in Buckingham Palace's latest accounts which show that the Royal Family cost the taxpayer 62p per person last year – a drop of 7p.

No one can begrudge the Royal family this money when one considers their service to the nation, the voluntary groups that they support and how the Monarchy remains one of the best possible advertisements for Great Britain plc.

However, it must be noted that the latest savings were achieved, in part, by the Queen dipping into a reserve fund to boost her Civil List by 6.5m.

Yet, while this is commendable when so many of her subjects are suffering significant hardship in these austere times, and which forced the Chancellor to freeze the Civil List in last month's Budget, there will have to be a fundamental review of the Royal finances.

For it would be self-defeating if buildings like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle fell into a state of disrepair, despite the Royals becoming more prudent, when they attract so many visitors each year.