Prince Harry pays back £2.4m of taxpayers' money for Frogmore Cottage

A spokesman for the Duke of Sussex today confirmed he had paid the bill in full by making a contribution to the Sovereign Grant.

The payment was made possible thanks to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's new Netflix deal, reportedly worth some $150m, a source said.

Harry's spokesman said: "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."

Last year's royal accounts showed the cost of the renovations - paid for from taxpayers' money - was £2.4 million.

Harry and Meghan agreed to pay back the money as part of the plans drawn up when they quit as senior working royals in March.

In earlier developments

- The couple signed a high-profile deal with streaming giant Netflix last week for their new yet-to-be-named production company to make documentaries, feature films, scripted shows and children's programming.

The Duke and Duchess said they planned to create programmes that 'inform but also give hope' and make 'impactful content that unlocks action'.

The couple, who are now living in Los Angeles, are expected to concentrate on behind-the-camera roles as producers rather than necessarily star themselves.

- The deal intensified calls for Harry and Meghan to pay back the seven-figure sum spent sprucing up Frogmore Cottage and now it appears the pair have bowed to the growing pressure.

The house was extensively renovated for the couple after their marriage in May 2018, with the intention of it being a family home for son Archie. But they have since left to live in America, where they have purchased a £14.7m mansion in California.

A pledge was made by the couple to reimburse taxpayers for renovating their briefly lived-in Windsor home, which they have insisted on keeping as a British base despite the move to Los Angeles, as part of their deal to quit as working royals.

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