Palace's bids for grants 'illustrate contempt'

Aides made inquiries about funding to replace four boilers after royal gas and electricity bills increased by 50 per cent in 2004 to more than 1m, a level described as "untenable".

But Government officials said the Royal Household was not eligible for the cash and if money was handed over they feared it would lead to "probable adverse Press coverage".

Republic, the anti-monarchy campaign group, called for the management of the palaces to be opened up to full scrutiny after the attempts to get funding were revealed in documents disclosed under a Freedom of Information request.

A Republic spokesman said: "These documents are clear evidence of the contempt the palace has for ordinary people in this country.

"We have our head of state demanding cash that has been set aside for low-income families, for the most vulnerable in our society.

"The palace has repeatedly refused to change the way it is managed, it has refused to open its doors to the public all year round, to raise the revenue it needs, instead they continue to go cap in hand to our Government for more handouts.

The documents revealed the Queen's deputy treasurer wrote to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 2004 to ask if they would be eligible for a handout from the 60m Community Energy Programme.

But in an apologetic email sent to the Palace, it was explained that the handouts were aimed at schools, hospitals, councils and housing associations for heating programmes which benefit low-income families.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.