Prince Harry, Meghan Markle to repay taxpayers money used on renovation of UK home

The Buckingham Palace on Saturday issued a formal statement regarding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back from their royal duties. The statement said that the Sussexes will repay UK taxpayers for the £2.4 million that was used to refurbish their home, Frogmore House. They will no longer formally represent the Queen or receive money from the Sovereign Grant, the annual funding given to the Queen by the government to cover the costs of the royal family's official expenses.

The Statement

The statement said, "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home. Buckingham Palace does not comment on the details of security arrangements. There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly-funded security. This new model will take effect in the Spring of 2020."

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The Statement also included that Harry and Meghan will not be using their HRH titles. It said, "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments. The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family."

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"Work to become financially independent"

This statement comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex earlier announced their decision to step back as 'Senior members' of the Royal Family. The Duke and Duchess will be dividing their time between the United Kingdom and North America. The couple took to their official Instagram page and stated that they intend to "work to become financially independent." 

The couple took to Instagram and issued a statement over their decision to take a step back from royal duties, where they announced that after becoming financially independent they wish to set up a charity of their own as well. In their post, they also stated that this move will allow their family to take the much-needed space to grow into the next chapter of their lives.

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(image credits: AP)