Sovereign Report reveals Prince Andrew’s lavish private jet spending
The Sovereign Report has just been released, with some surprising findings about how the royal family are spending taxpayers’ money.
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Prince Andrew caught a near-$A29,000 taxpayer-funded private jet flight to watch a golf tournament, annual figures reveal.
Palace sources say the Duke of York grabbed the flight last July because there was no other way to make the trip.
Andrew, 60, known as “Airmiles Andy”, caught a private jet from Farnborough, Hants, to The Open Championship at Portrush, in Northern Ireland.
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It cost taxpayers $A28,644 despite there being 13 daily flights from London to Belfast.
The golf club dropped Andrew as patron amid the Jeffrey Epstein scandal last November following his “car crash” Newsnight interview.
A palace source said: “There were no other ways for Andrew to make the trip.
“He was undertaking a visit on behalf of his patronage. Arrangements in relation to the program did not enable him to travel by scheduled flight.”
Princess Anne is also under fire for a $29,700 day trip to Rome to watch Scotland play Italy in the Six Nations in February as patron of the Scottish Rugby Association.
A royal source defended the flight saying: “The royal travel provides support and organises travel for members of the royal family to undertake engagements on behalf of their patronages.
“When we make arrangements for any engagements always mindful of their timetable and how it conflicts with other programs and viability of other forms of transport.”
QUEEN REFUSES A PAY RISE
The Queen is tightening her belt amid devastating COVID-19 cuts across the country and is refusing to take an annual pay rise.
Buckingham Palace figures reveal the 94-year-old monarch will receive a $A155 million Sovereign Grant next year – which includes almost $A60 million to repair her palaces.
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But faced with a $A63 million shortfall in personal income due to coronavirus affecting Crown Estates rents and tourism, the grant will be frozen at $A156 million for 2021/22 and 2022/23.
The Royal Household said it is not furloughing or laying off any staff but looking to make savings through “efforts and efficiencies”.
A Palace source said: “Her Majesty understands that families across the country are having to make things go further and that should be the same for the Palace.
“The expected shortfalls will not see any calls for extra money but just a determination to be visible and carry on.”
The Sovereign Grant is calculated as 25 per cent of the total Crown Estates income.
But royals yesterday estimated a $A36 million fall in receipts because of COVID-19.
And tourist income via the Royal Collection Trust paid to the Queen will be $A9 million down every year for the next three years.
Last year the Queen received $A149 million from the public purse.
This included $A89 million for the core funding and an extra $A59 million on repairs.
The annual taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant of $A155 million in 2020/21 is the equivalent of $A2.22 for every person in Britain.
That will be frozen for the following two years, when the full impact of COVID-19 hits.
This means, taking inflation into account, it will be the first time in living memory the Queen will not get a pay rise as her taxpayer-funded contribution could fall.
Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, said: “We have no intention of asking for extra funding and will look to manage the impact through our own efforts and efficiencies.”
Fewer public duties could also save the Queen money. She carried out 296 last year.
A source said: “There are more video engagements. We are adapting.”
This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission
Originally published as Sovereign Report reveals Prince Andrew’s lavish private jet spending