As King Charles III seeks to simplify the monarchy, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s eviction from Frogmore Cottage are said to be only the beginning of more dramatic changes to come.
The soon-to-be-crowned king is rumored to be aiming to end subsidized rentals for royal family members over the next five years, along with Queen Consort Camilla.
This new financial policy is likely to apply to all members of the royal family, including working members such as the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Royal, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. According to one account, the King “is not some sort of housing association for distant relatives.”
The King is claimed to have offered Frogmore Cottage to the Duke of York, who may have to leave his present house at the Royal Lodge. According to insiders, after the coronation, Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household, and Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, would manage a time of transition at Buckingham Palace.
Queen Consort Camilla will purportedly ensure that the royal household follows the “Clarence House way” of operation. A senior figure explained, “It is not about cuts; it is about getting the best value for money from those on the payroll. Sometimes less is more.”
According to reports, King Charles III wants to reduce the number of financially dependent royals, particularly non-prominent ones. He is claimed to be focusing on “more effectively” using funds from the Duchy of Lancaster and the sovereign grant, as well as bringing top people by giving competitive pay and pensions.
According to the source, “staff cutbacks” are already in the works, and the importance of “value for money” cannot be emphasized. The King is also rumored to be preparing to rent palace rooms and flats, known as “London pads,” to non-royals at commercial rates. If they intend to reside in a palace, these prospective tenants must pass security screening.
Members of the royal family’s extended family who are unable to afford their existing houses are urged to “cut their cloth.” Andrew, for example, is said to have updated friends that if his £249,000 yearly allowance is reduced, he will be unable to meet Royal Lodge’s maintenance expenses.
According to a senior insider, while the King is neither cruel nor irresponsible, family members who are not members of the core family or work for the Crown should support themselves.
Though King Charles III is said to have set up additional accommodations for both the Sussexes and Andrew, it is clear that the monarch is devoted to a more streamlined, cost-effective, and efficient royal family.