There were some questions in the comments about the timeline for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s living arrangements. What happened was that Will and Kate spent their first year of marriage in Wales, living in a rented “cottage” with full security. The Queen “gave” them the luxury apartment in Kensington Palace in 2012, with the idea that it would take a while to renovate extensively, at taxpayer cost. In 2013, the Queen also gifted the Cambridges with Anmer Hall, which is part of the Queen’s “private” Sandringham estate. It was said that the renovations to Anmer Hall – which included ripping out a lovely, brand-new kitchen, and redoing the tennis courts, plus extensive security measures – were paid for by the Queen and Prince Charles. Once they got Anmer Hall, the KP apartment – with it’s multi-million renovation – stayed mostly unused for years. That’s the timeline. Will and Kate spent a fortune of taxpayer money and Charles’ money on those two renovations.
Now that Prince Harry and Meghan are sorting out their living situation, we can expect more of the same kind of reporting about the costs, right? For sure. But maybe it’s just me, but it feels like there’s a weird edge to the reporting about Meghan’s “taxpayer-funded” whatever. Like the British press is two seconds away from calling her a “welfare queen.” Here’s the Daily Mail’s latest:
Taxpayers could fork out up to £5 million to protect Meghan and Harry’s new home in the grounds of Windsor Castle, it is claimed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are renovating 19th-century Frogmore Cottage before moving there from Kensington Palace in the spring. Plans will already be being formulated about how to secure the cottage grounds, which in places are only separated from public roads by a six-foot wall.
Former royal protection officer Ken Wharfe told The Mirror: ‘The costs of building and security arrangements could balloon to £5million in the first year. There is no protection at Frogmore, there is no one living there. There are costs of at least two or three private protection officers and to make sure the estate is policed adequately by Thames Valley Police. There will have to be major reviews of the security surrounding that property, exposed on virtually every side.’
The Grade-II listed cottage, near Frogmore House, is 200 yards from the publicly accessible Long Walk, increasing the need for tight security. Talks on security are believed to be underway between Thames Valley Police, the Metropolitan Police and Kensington Palace. The cottage has been used as rented accommodation for members of the royal staff and had fallen into disrepair.
Harry and Meghan held their wedding reception at Frogmore House, which overlooks the two-storey, stucco-faced cottage, and their engagement pictures were taken in the grounds. It is understood that the couple hope to turn Frogmore Cottage into a five-bedroom family home, with space for a nursery and a live-in nanny. A Kensington Palace spokesman said the costs of any substantial building work would be covered by the Sovereign Grant, which is ultimately funded by the taxpayer.
I know from all of the Cambridge coverage that it makes a difference when you’re talking about properties owned by the “public” and properties which are “privately owned” by the Queen. Sandringham is privately owned by the Queen, and she can and does whatever she wants with Sandringham, which is why she gave Anmer Hall to the Cambridges and Charles funded the reno. Since Windsor Castle is the property of “the crown,” ie the public, that’s why the reno/conversion to Frogmore has to be taxpayer-funded. As for the security measures… it is what it is. Personally, I’m glad that they’re taking Meghan’s security seriously, because I feel like she’s getting more threats than the average royal bride. If you’re going to complain about the cost of Meghan and Harry’s security, I hope you also complained about Will and Kate’s expensive security measures.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Given the crazies out there, and the Daily Mail whipping them into a frenzy every day, I have zero complaints about the cost of Harry and Meghan’s security. Do whatever is necessary to protect them.
I agree. This smear campaign against Meghan and Harry is food for all the Daily Mail crazies. By any means necessary, protect the Sussexes from these vile creatures inside and outside of the palaces.
Yes, it’s scary and we’ve seen how Cheeto, the Daily Fail and BBQ Becky’s make life dangerous for people of color.
Ugh. Regardless of what kind of crazy reporting is undertaken by the Daily Mail, as a UK tax payer paying over 45 percent of my salary in tax and national insurance (something people in my most parts of NA can’t conceive of – I know, being from NA), I’m not ok with the endless renovations and security spending of the Royal Family. I don’t want to hear about “private vs public land”, in some way – even if it’s just security – the public will pay.They should be making living decisions that will cost the public a minimum – wherever the heck they choose to live. If they’d stayed at KP they would have been able to avoid the Renos coming out of the sovereign fund and shared security. I’m really pissed because my son has a genetic condition which means that he’s excluded from private insurance AND as a rare one his use of a certain medication has not yet been cleared for NHS funding for his condition although it’s a commonly used medication. I work really hard and I pay a lot in taxes each month AND I have to reach into my pocket to pay for a really standard medication while these two choose to live near a public road but that’s ok – there’s always security. I have nothing against Meghan but I’m a republican all the F#%^ing way.
Sorry to hear about the problems getting your son the medical access he requires.
I don’t begrudge Meghan and Harry having a lovely home for their family. I am also aware that it comes with the price tag of security.
It does irke me as well the decisions that get thrown around about where Royals choose to live and the cost that is placed on taxpayers. Oh well, taxpayers pay for it. We are actually people who work very hard!
It can be difficult to see how hard we work for our paycheques and for a portion to go to “it’s a special place for Harry and Meghan”. Well I’m glad it it…but surely they were other options that wouldn’t be such a drain on the taxpayers? It’s difficult to process sometimes when you work so hard and see where that money could be put to good use, especially in the NHS.
I completely agree with you. Why do they need such a big home, which costs so much to renovate and then costs so much in security? I have the exact same issue will ALL of the royal family but they are just the most recent example of this. Even when we talk about their private wealth, it’s well protected by their tax payer funded perks. What would benefit the tax paying people of Great Britain more when it comes to Frogmore cottage? Renovations and security running into the millions or demolition and the use of the land as a park?
It’s so unfair. To think that in 21st century we tolerate this lot living off public money in such luxury most of us will never experience, solely for being born or married into this family, with no accountability whatsoever.
What you say makes a lot of sense as a British taxpayer and a mother of a child with medical needs.
If Harry and Meghan made a contribution towards the cost of renovation or security it would probably be more palatable to the public. After all, Harry is not a future head of state.
And if the public were provided more information about the choices and costs of housing, that would likely push the royals to choose sensibly.
Any housing on a royal compound like Kensington or Windsor will cost less than a private house in London. But more transparency, and some cost sharing would help this situation.
I understand you! I live in Germany and if the Kaiser and his family were still around and we had to fund their lifestyles – I’d be really angry too. If they are funded in any way, they should strive to keep publicly covered expenses to a minimum. And pay income tax like everyone else!
@hershey – exactly. They will have tax payer funded top of the range kitchen and bathrooms. Everything will be high spec. This doesn’t benefit the tax payers; this only benefits Meghan and Harry. Mean while social housing is notoriously cheaply renovated.
Most of them do pay taxes. The only ones who get out of it are the big-ticket transfers from one monarch to the next for private properties. That is tax free. Otherwise, both William and Harry paid around 40 percent inheritance tax on their inheritance from Diana.
It amounts to a few pence per person per year. They are good value. If the royals disappeared thousands of people directly and indirectly would lose their jobs. Diplomatically they are very useful PR for Britain. I am very happy for them to be custodians of our national treasures.
Ugh, Frogmore Cottage seems like such a nice choice for them, but $5 million in security upgrades seems really excessive when KP and St. James are already secured.
These is just blatant ripping the tax payers off.
These Royal properties are going to be around forever and a day. They have to be upgraded and maintained no matter who lives in them. I felt the same way about Will and Kate’s renos. There’s no need to complain now – it’s just because people look for any reason to tesr Meghan down.
Exactly. They are historic buildings.
Once again, the nasty and vile tabloid journalists are spreading negative information based off of speculation. The haters just keep eating it all up!
I complain about Royals using taxpayers money generally – you want to have a Monarchy? fine, the Monarch and heirs can be taxpayer supported but why the whole rest of the family? Make them private citizens and let them spend their own money on whatever they want/need. They will not be monarchs, they should not be living on taxpayer’s money.
I agree.
I do like gossiping about the royals – I like the fashion and glam, but it’s not right to shut down opinions when talk of money, housing, official clothing wardrobes, security for their private homes, and unnecessary travel on jets/helis is raised. This goes for everyone. The DM went after Edward for his private jet use earlier this year. At the end of the day, hard-working members of the public are paying.
And the public like the paths at Windsor to be accessible.
I’ve stayed close enough to enjoy going for my daily run on the long walk. I wonder how much of the public area will be shut down so that they can live there?
Kensington already has public and private areas firmly established. An apartment there would not have increased security costs or closed the public out of park areas.
Perhaps Kensington was not feasible, but the public deserves more concrete explanation when the public must pay for it.
Above should apply to any royal family member, not just Harry or Meghan.
well said.
They should be more concerned with saving taxpayers money than they apparently are. Harry and Meghan already have their country bolt home in the Cotswolds. If they are working royals they should be based in KP, Clarence House or SJP.
I agree. I love Harry and Meghan, but at the same time it must be maddening for the average British taxpayer to see their hard earned money going to pay for the upkeep of multiple palatial residences and security of minor royals. It’s as if we in the US had tax dollars being allocated for a new mansion for Eric and Lara Trump, or to pay for security guards for Jimmy Carter’s great-grandchildren.
America’s are spending $230,000 a month for travel for the Trump boys, that’s just one month. He he lasts all four years, imagine what our bill will be to fund the Trump business interests. That’s what maddens me.
The presidents then will leave, but will take with them security for them and their families, so we people from countries with expresidents pay for security for, in my case …the next soon to be, the current, the former, er… 5 or 6 politicians with security for their home families, pension, etc.we are not so much better. I think all this buildings have to be taken care off, they are historical anyway, maybe they could cooperate a part and other from public budget? Anyway. Happily they were only two boys, for those complaining, it is a double take, can they (the public) afford many children or should they refrain from having them?
I like the last line! I mean, if people were up in arms with W/K multi-million
pound renovations, I expect them to be up in arms over this, I guess? I like the idea of slimming down the monarchy because hopefully, it will get to the point where we finally realise “why are paying for their renovations when they’re all millionaires?” Truthfully, this money could be spent elsewhere as the royals aren’t poor.
Harry has a healthy inheritance and Meghan is a multi-millionaire, right? Security for the working royals is the only part taxpayers should have to pay for imo.
But the properties belong to the crown and therefore the people. They should be maintained by the people. Frogmore doesn’t belong to Harry and Meghan.
Well I don’t see the people being welcomed to live on those properties lmao. Your reasoning is beyond me. If you look at it that way perhaps they should pay rent to the people. And no, the little charity they do doesn’t count. Actually none of the work they do measures up to the perks they get for just being born. It’s ridiculous.
@Arnk – well said. They say these things belong to the people and yet the people have no access or say in how they’re managed. Probably the only Royals to work anything close to a full time job is the Queen, Charles and Anne. The others are all part timers by the average Brits standards and yet they get to live in these places rent free or with a nominal rent and have their high spec renovations and security all paid for.
Then they shouldnt be moving to Frogmore. Move to a privately owned place and stop wasting taxpayers money.
The Crown Estates should be open to the public as much as possible and the family members of the Queen should live on her private estates or their own private estates. They should all pay their full tax bills and the act that made the Queen’s, Charles’ and William’s finances secret should be reversed. The way all the Windsors try to weasel out out of the financial responsibilities is disgraceful.
And looking at what has happened to Buckingham Palace, the Queen has mismanaged things at the taxpayers’ expense. It really bothers me.
I think sharing of costs would make it more palatable for the British taxpayer. True, the taxpayers own the properties, but they are not allowed to live in the properties.
And the taxpayers will lose public access to walking paths and park areas near this home. Those paths are lovely, well lit, and provide a safe populated place for walking or running.
Access will be closed off so that security and privacy can be maintained. Those paths around Windsor are well used by the public.
If already secured property is available, consideration for the public should weigh heavily.
Frogmore Cottage is in the part of Windsor High Park that is already inaccessible to the public.
Historic houses need upgrades periodically. If Frogmore Cottage could speak it would say, “ At last, its my turn!”.
The Daily Mail really hates her. I don’t get why. But it is ground zero for all the Meghan haters out there.
It’s because she’s half black mainly, the other part might be the American-ness.
I don’t mind MM at all. I do object to footing the bill for anything the royals use personally. If I pay I think I get a say
@Endoridic – Lol. The last part of your comment reminds me of our American colonial forefathers who said “no taxation without representation” when the Crown levied taxes but denied the colonists a say in Parliament. They went to war over it and the Crown ended up minus one colony.
Question for the Brit commenters: were/are there any grumblings about taxpayer money being spent on an American? Even though she has or soon will be giving up her American citizenship. Just curious.
Not really. The Daily Mail pointedly refers to her nationality, but no one else is bothered.
The tabloids are ripping into Sussexes hardcore. And kissing the Cambridges asses. It’s obvious that WK are benefiting from this coverage. Just look at the coveragd today. Anyway…They have security at the moment. It seems as though this new $ is about securing Frogmore Cottage environs, so perhaps a one time deal? I’m sure their personal security will do the bulk of the security and the estate will benefit from the added security measures. Next…
Didn’t the British taxpayers also pay for all the security and upgrades to Kate’s parents’ house?
Yes, that’s right.
Yes they did – to the tune of £1 million. No other in-laws ever got that, they even got access to royal owned furniture in storage – talk about sponging off the royals and taxpayers. All of this was because Katie Keen couldn’t be too far away from Mommy Dearest – for the first few years of their marriage and after George’s birth there were many reports of Kate spending weeks at a time at her parents house, who knows where William was but it wasn’t with his wife and young son nor was it working as a part part part time pilot.
Yes and taxpayers pay for all the security at Anne’s private residence, all of Balmoral, and all of Sandringham even though they are private property.
Anne, Andrew, and Edward no longer have full time security. They only have security while they are on official engagements. Balmoral and Sandringham only have security when the Queen, Charles, William, or Harry or their spouses are there. It’s about protecting the person not the building.
If the DM is the place the crazies go to comment, what British paper is more balanced and objective in its coverage?
The Guardian’s probably the best one that doesn’t have a paywall, but it’s pretty republican (in a left-wing sense) and its coverage of the royals is mostly snarky. The Times is probably the best (the FT is the best newspaper in the country by a considerable margin, but it largely ignores the royals) overall, but it sits behind a paywall. The Telegraph is right-wing and pro-royals in general. It’s ok. The other tabloids like the Express and the Mirror are also sometimes ok. Always avoid the Sun.
Here is a classic example from the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/nov/28/meghan-saviour-of-the-royal-family-or-the-ghost-of-wallis-simpson (Hadley Freeman is American, but she’s lived in the UK for a long time and is very funny).
This is extremely embellished just like the wedding security number. Windsor estate is already protected and Frogmore is only open a few days of the year. No way is 5 million pounds accurate.
Exactly! It just came out that the actual cost for security for the Sussex wedding was 2.3 million…not the 10s of millions that was originally put out there. It’s one lie after another being spread about the Sussexes. It’s disgusting.
Also, can we all please stop using the Daily Heil as a source? Nothing – NOTHING – they say is accurate.
Ken Wharfe is another Paul Burrell, selling crap for a quick buck. Am sure Frogmore does need work done to it both to make it liveable in for a family and secure but £5mill for security along is way off – I’ll bet its less than half of that.
ITA. He publicly went after Meghan a few months ago, blaming her for her dipsh*t dad’s lack of personal protection or security detail prior to the wedding. Wharfe is an opportunist and if he has any inside scoop or current knowledge of the security costs for the cottage, it’s coming from the same people who are currently on the DL while throwing knives in Meghan’s back.
Yes, Ken Wharfe is awful. He was hanging around outside the venue of the meeting for the Royal Foundation apparently working as a ‘Royal expert’ for a German media outlet. I gave him a dirty look. I am sure he got a pension when he retired from Special Protection.
This. No security at Windsor? Lying through his crooked teeth.
Plus it is within the private Windsor Home Park, which is inaccessible to the general public most of the year.
The cost of security for the wedding was also wildly exaggerated for both weddings as well. It’s certainly upsetting to taxpayers to see millions spent on the royals, but until the country as a whole demands a full accounting, there shouldn’t be any reason to not provide security for Harry and Meghan, who are working royals, as compared to William and Kate, or Anne or any of the other working royals. Frogmore House is only open to the public a few days a year so public access isn’t as much as they are claiming it to be.
^This. All kinds of screaming about the security costing 30 million. Official figures were released that it was less than 3. They’re moving to a smaller home in a part of Windsor that is already off-limits. This home is nothing like the palaces Andrew and Edward have at Windsor.
If people complained about the cost of W&K’s homes renovation and their security, then they should complain about the Sussexes too, or they will be being hypocrites otherwise.
And viceversa. If they complain about M&H they also should complain about the Cambridges.
In short, both couples make use of lots of tax payers money
I’m certain that the threats that Meghan is very likely getting are much worse than any that William and Kate will have received. There are obvious reasons why security is particularly important for Meghan and Harry.
People tend to forget that even George got death threats, and they were so serious that they ended with one man in prison.
They don’t tend to publicise death threats, for obvious reasons. Obviously there hasn’t been critical press commentary of George.
@herewegoagain: It’s informed speculation.
My problem is with the embellishments, half-truths, or just plain false and inaccurate information. There’s no way this is true but DM is running with it and people will believe it. I think taxpayers shouldn’t get random numbers because that isn’t helpful.
Also, Meghan & Harry have a higher number of threats than Will & Kate and as the son and daughter-in-law of a soon-to-be Monarch, they should be protected because we wouldn’t want them being assassinated or kidnapped for ransom like Princess Anne almost was.
Where are you getting that Harry and Meghan are getting more threats to their lives?
So quickly you forget the envelope of suspicious white powder sent to Meghan at KP.
So…. one threat?
@Herewegoagain. Publicizing the threats would incite copycats. It has been open season on Meghan in the press for months now. Is it really so hard to believe that Meghan being biracial and American would amount to the Sussexes receiving more threats?
What some of us have been saying all along: “One of the largest threats associated with the British royal family, and one of the least publicized, is the threat mentally disturbed individuals pose. Due to the huge volume of publicity they receive and their status, members of the British royal family have a tendency to attract delusional people.” None of us will ever know the number of threats royals regularly receive, but to dismiss the possibility they are frequent and must be taken seriously is just being deliberately obtuse.
https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/security-implications-may-2018-british-royal-wedding
I’m not saying there aren’t threats, I’m just questioning the assumption that H&M receive more than anyone else. There is literally no proof of that but commenters are stating it as fact.
People have stated their well-informed reasons for their beliefs. Why should it be important to you that H&M do not receive more death threats than other royals?
Yes there is proof, even in this thread. These two, especially Meghan, are high targets. Putting them in the country on an already-secured section of Windsor is smart.
@Annie. I said yesterday and I still think, that the British people have no one to blame but themselves for the success of the royal gravy train. When the Queen dies, I think that gravy train is going to come under much more public scrutiny.
And FWIW, the time is way past that the Duchy of Cornwall should no longer be the birthright of anyone, male or female.
NONE of these people do enough work to justify their perks, none of them.
The monarchy works best for the monarchs and their families, and the Sussexes are no exception.
That’s why unexceptional guys like Charles and Willam and Harry always end up on “World’s Most Eligible Bachelor” lists – not because of their devastating good looks, charm, intellectual ability, or noble characters.
People complained about Kate decamping to her parents’ home and the security measures that were taken to secure that property. They complained about James using an RPO as a valet and Pippa being given RPO protection for part of her book promotion. And the cost of the RPOs being sent on various vacations spots with the Cambridges (that’s one where Meghan and Harry can also be criticized). I don’t know if anyone has begrudged them getting RPOS for their own security.
Meghan got uk security allocated to her when she was still the girlfriend. The bloke that played her father stated it in a interview with people mag (at least I read it on their site). Something to the effect of being on set and one day he turns around and there is some guy from MI5 there for her. Now I don’t think he was secret services but could easily be a rpo that was dispatched. Why would the actor think he was legit british protection if not the case? Harry / the studio made a big deal about claiming they paid for security for her but the best security detail they end up getting just happens to be british who conveniently was living and working in Toronto at that time? With the british royal family involved? I do think she got one long before she was the fiancé.
So did Kate, so it might be standard practice. If it was privately paid for, maybe they went with a British company they already knew and trusted?
An RPO wouldn’t have been allowed to come to Canada. It would have had to been private security and I believe a few cast members did mention a boost in set security when the relationship was more public. At the time it was said the studio paid for the extra security.
The studio paid because they’d be liable otherwise. Thinks back to Rebecca Schaeffer of My Sister Sam.
No one know the actual costs. It has always been kept a secret. These are press estimates and we’ve seen their track record when it comes to Harry and Meghan.
Consider that the daily mail just recently as two days tried to link the hubb community to a terrorist organization then said suggested that meghan herself helped this group in so way people on the daily mail whipped themselves into a frenzy. Accusing meghan of being some how being responsible for the terrorist group I think the extra security is necessary I keep saying this but I think ever since meghan and harry announced their expect a baby it cause such a influx a lot more hatred towards meghan its like the people who hate her convinced themselves that meghan somehow wouldn’t be able to have kids. I know some people like to say that kate gotten the same treatment by the press but it’s not the same the daily mail is catering to a Pacific group of people who hate meghan and her mother basis solely on their skin color. They continue to feed the negativity toward meghan with every article and their not going to stop until something bad happens thank God this woman has security because I honestly think their are some people who love to have a chance of hurting her just because she dare to married someone they all see as too good for a black woman .
The Hubb community was linked to a mosque that had harbored Islamist hate-preaching, it was not the Hubb community itself that was linked to terrorism. The mosque has long since cut itself off from the hate preacher.
My mistake the daily mail still tried to link the woman’s in the hubb kitchen to a terrorist organization and turn around places the blame on meghan saying because she work with these woman on the cookbook she some how is responsible. Whether its was the hubb community or whatever my point was that the daily mail tried to link these woman and meghan to terrorists not just a preacher like you said I saw the article last night and a lot of comments were accusing meghan and the woman of evil things they fully believe that meghan helped a terrorist organization and that is dangerous not only for meghan but also for those woman.
As I understand it, the Queen had to pay for the Anmer Hall renovations because the Sandringham estate is owned by her personally. The Sovereign Grant paid for Kensington Palace because it is as we would say, “vested in the state”, a public historic building.
Frogmore, I assume, is also part of the Crown Estates – but as the Queen is so often at Windsor, isn’t the security there already really tight? Why would they need five million more pounds just because Harry and Meghan are moving in? In other words – what’s missing that isn’t already in place at Windsor?
I think they have to beef up security around the actual house some. since the article says it sits so close to the Long Walk. So the actual property may need more security – do the RPOs stay in the house or elsewhere on the property? But even so it doesn’t sound like 5 million.
It is within the Windsor Home Park, separate from Windsor Great Park, and WHP is inaccessible to the general public most of the year.
Good Lord, the Brits must really dislike this lot.
As one of the MP’s said, with the growing state of homelessness, how can this be justified? I just recently left England and was surprised by how many homeless there were especially now in winter time. But just as long as this lot gets their designer clothes while doing one waving engagement a day in their 10-bedroom house I guess.
Parasites, parasites everywhere.
It is disgusting. They’re all welfare queens as far as I’m concerned, everyone in that family.
These people should all live in the same spot. They should live at KP if they want the perks. If I was British then this would infuriate me. They can pretend to repeat outfits and then spend millions and be excessive….it’s Just gross
‘Like the British press is two seconds away from calling her a “welfare queen.”’
This!!!
The thinly(?) veiled racism toward Meghan is vile. These ramped up attacks over the past few weeks have been horrible. Not that she is above reproach (who is?), but such racially tinged attacks ( e.g. ‘bullying Black woman made poor Kate cry…’). Ugh.
Right?! They’re going HAM on a pregnant lady and somehow they think they’re making HER look bad? I’m all for debating whether the royals deserve taxpayer money, but to pick on just her is so, so low.
The British press really loves to place blame on meghan for everything that the royals have been doing for centuries. I don’t think the taxpayer should be paying for extra security the royal should be paying their own ways when its come to extras they deem important. My problem is the press make its seem like it’s meghan doing that everything is her fault its not right is has been constantly influx of negative articles after articles every day their a new articles painting this pregnant woman as some sort of monster who has turn the royal family against each other. All the blame is being placed on her even if the stories aren’t true the damage is done already even if the royals were to release a statement denying any of the stories people would accuse them of lying to protect meghan. The British press has successfully assassinate meghan character no matter what good she does there will always be a handful of people who rather believed the lies about her she is pregnant and instead of defending her from the press they would rather drag her. If this was kate being bully this hard by the press while pregnant there would be more of uproar but because it’s meghan is seem like this type of abuse, by the press is ok I noticed that a lot of people are refusing to Acknowledge that the press is openly with glee bullying a pregnant woman.
Ok so what’s the story about Katie ripping out a new kitchen? It’s a perfectly new kitchen so what’s the deal?
The couple that lived at Anmer were kitchen designers. They had renovated the kitchen as a show piece for their company. After their lease was rescinded and they were asked to leave, the Cambridges ripped out that kitchen and replaced it.
My feeling is that every single royal should be paying for their own security and private home renovations. The austerity situation is not the royals’ fault, but it’s appalling to read about the poor (including children, the elderly, and the disabled) being forced into ever-worse situations while they continue on as normal. NOPE!
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/world/europe/uk-austerity-child-poverty.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/world/europe/un-extreme-poverty-britain-austerity.html
How can we justify paying for them any longer? I begrudge that I’m having to bankroll this family of parasites.
The thing is Harry, Meghan, Will and Kate are now part of this family and are targets regardless if they continue to be working royals or not so they NEED to be protected. Even if Harry, let’s say, decides to give up his status he will still be the son of Charles, the future king, and the brother of Will another future king. If someone wants to hurt them and can’t then they can easily go after him. He will be protected for life. There is no other way. The cost as for now is just a speculation and no official numbers are given.
As for their home arrangements I am sure there are some reasons as to why they are not living all at the same place. My take is that eventually Harry will have a bigger apartment at KP mark my words. Someone will be displaced very soon. For now they are given a country house just like William.
They are expensive that’s true and makes us mere mortals angry but trust me, each head of state have these perks (not for life in their case). The only difference is that the royals are forever and so they get perks for life. The “good” news is that the monarchy will shrink eventually and there will be less royals to fund. The bad news is that they will continue to live a life of luxuries till the end of their days. Sorry
Former heads of state and government (at least in the US and the UK) get security for life. So in the US, that’s Carter, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump plus their spouses and children. In the UK, that’s HM, Charles, William, Harry, Edward plus spouses and children, Anne and Andrew minus spouses and children, Major, Blair, Brown, Cameron, May (PM’s spouses and children don’t get security once they’re out of office). I think it’s probably more people in the UK, but I would imagine the overall cost is about the same in the two countries.
I don’t think the adult children of the other former presidents get secret service protection once they are out office. The dumps are of course abusing all privileges as usual.
Obama wrote a law that all Presidents and their children after 911 would get security for life.
Oh, I want to see Meghan in the Diamond and Emerald Tiara!
Nope, this is just hyper-sensitivity and paranoia on your part. I’ve been bombarded with press about the royal family since the seventies and this breakdown of taxpayer funded activities is absolutely nothing new. So now there’s an American in the royal family, so what. The press about Fergie was far more scathing and relentless in its day. All things considered, Meaghan is getting very positive and supportive press. You need to respect the long standing history you have not been a part of and stop seeing a targeted attack on this one member of the family. And stop quoting the Daily Mail, it is NOT a reliable new source.
The racism against Meghan is totally new and did not apply to anyone else in the past. It’s not paranoia to notice that at all. And with Meghan being American, that adds to the outsider status. Kate got slagged from not being an aristo, but it never reached the levels that the tabloids are doing here. Social media also amplifies it all. Fergie got slagged for cheating on Andrew and then trying to sell access to the royals so if she was criticized, there was far more reason for it especially after the separation. What people are complaining about is that Meghan seems to be doing the work but gets criticized for existing.
I’m so sick and tired of people playing well fergie and the other royal woman got trashed too so this is nothing new are you freaking kidding me from the moment Meghan was announced as Harry girlfriend the racist headline from the British press was and. I Quoted from gangland Compton la to the Buckham palace will Harry be having tea with his new girlfriend mother in the gangland of la why the royal family is worried so please spared me with the utter nonsense with Meghan not being targets for her race .Its really utterly ridiculously how so many people are trying to justify or refuse to accept that meghan is being targeted because of her race its like their refusing to see meghan as a victim they would rather chalked it up to well all the Royal get attack. The attack on meghan are continually the press didn’t bully and harass kate when she was pregnant and I doubt that they also attack Fergie and diana while they were pregnant either. Instead they all got lavish praise by the press and respect meghan is pregnant and its open season on her I wonder what the difference between those woman and Meghan .
It is interesting that press outside of the UK are pointing out the racism and mistreatment Meghan is getting from the UK tabloids. Australian press and even CNN did a piece about it the other day. That the UK tabloids are going out of their way to emphasize the “otherness” of her.
This is not what Fergie faced. I was around for that too, and what is happening to Meghan is 1000 times worse. Violent and racist. What is interesting is the continuing attempts of some to pretend this racism isn’t happening. Why refuse to see it when it is right in front of your eyes in every rag in the UK?
The Daily Mail Meghan hatred source can be linked back to Piers Morgan.
Or as LAK showed on here many times, it tracks back to the two Sunday editors for the DM. Those two individuals used to be paid by the Middletons as their personal PR consultants.
Get rid of the whole lot if you have a problem, don’t cherry pick who you’re ok with using the funds and you aren’t ok with.