Harry and Meghan ‘will STILL be funded by taxpayer despite “private income” claims’
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle will still be funded by the taxpayer despite claims they will live off their “private income”, it emerged today.
The British public could end up paying part of Prince Charles’ ongoing financial support for his son after he and wife Meghan stepped back from royal duties.
Former Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, who wrote the critical royal book “and What Do You Do?”, said 95 per cent of Harry’s money comes from his dad.
And he now fears there could be a loss to the taxpayer because of Charles’ tax advantages on his private income.
He said Charles has a “slush fund” where he can “offset anything he spends against tax” including his polo bills.
Mr Baker told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The Queen offsets money paid to family members against tax from the Duchy of Lancaster, which is her funding mechanism.
"DODGY ACCOUNTS"
“We know from the last public accounts committee investigation into the Duchy of Cornwall that there was a history of dodgy accounts.
“We know that Prince Charles was classing tax deductible expenses for 28 personal staff including valets and gardeners.
“(It also included) before he was married and the personal costs of Camilla including her jewellery clothes, horses and he even tried to get his polo bills listed as a business expense.
“He seems to see this as a sort of slush fund where he can offset anything he spends against tax.
“He pays no corporation tax on that, which he should do if he were a private estate.”
Prince Charles himself needs to clarify exactly how he is going to pay Harry, and to guarantee there will be no loss to the taxpayer through reduced tax liability from him
Norman Baker
Mr Baker is now calling for Prince Charles to explain how he is going to give money to his son and wants the Commons public committee to investigate royal finances.
He added: “Prince Charles himself needs to clarify exactly how he is going to pay Harry, and to guarantee there will be no loss to the taxpayer through reduced tax liability from him.
“Secondly, the public accounts committee which looked at this matter in 2005 should really look into royal finances in some detail again including particularly the Duchy of Cornwall, who is long overdue a review.”
He also said the travel and security bills will escalate and added: “It’s a bit odd, someone can choose where they want to live under worse circumstances and the public must pick up the bill whatever that choice must be.
“The royal security bill is enormous, it’s probably over £100m a year and we need to assess whether or not it’s justified.
SECURITY COSTS
“If the bill is going to escalate, which it will do, that is going to be a real matter for concern.
“It’s not just Harry who is going to be flying to and from Britain, it’s going to be all the Scotland Yard officers on shifts flying to and from dealing with crime in the capital.
“I have sympathy with Harry and Meghan, I think they are good people find themselves in a difficult position.
“But his preferred model of operation has run into a brick wall of reality unfortunately.
“If they are taking a step away from the royal family then I’m afraid they have to take a step away from public finance too.
“Around 95 per cent (of Harry’s money has come from Price Charles) with some coming from the sovereign grant.
Prince Charles and the Duchy of Cornwall make up their own laws. He calls himself a private estate, but pays no corporation tax. That’s an extraordinary position to be in
Mr Baker
“Prince Charles and the Duchy of Cornwall make up their own laws. He calls himself a private estate, but pays no corporation tax. That’s an extraordinary position to be in.
“Prince Harry is now going to be effectively a private individual. Prince Charles is probably worth £100m of his own money.
“He can pay for Prince Harry if he wants to out of that money and not offset it against tax.”
Speaking at a charity event at The Ivy restaurant, he said: “The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly.
MEGXIT DEAL
"It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option.”
This comes after his grandmother pulled no punches with a hardline Megxit deal meaning he and Meghan will now simply known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
And Her Majesty laid down the law on Saturday - saying they can "no longer formally represent" her despite the couple having insisted they wanted to "fly the flag" for the Queen after quitting the Firm.
In the decisive statement, the 93-year-old monarch also revealed the couple would pay back the £2.4m of taxpayer money spent on refurbishing Frogmore Cottage.
MOST READ IN NEWS
According to the Telegraph, Charles will fund the Sussexes for a year before a "review" of the pair's "abdication" deal.
The loan will come from the Prince of Wales' own personal investments, and not the Duchy of Cornwall.
The financial support is purely a case dad lending some cash to his son and young family, and not part of their "abdication deal".
Their source also described the pair's security arrangements as a "mess" and said it could cost millions, with a minimum of £500,000 per individual not including travel, reconnaissance and home security.
They said: "If they increase the risk on themselves while doing all sorts of exciting things that make them a large amount of money, should that be part of the security deal or should the costs be borne by them rather than the state."
