Prince's taxpayer funding tops £3m
Updated on 23 June 2009
Clarence House accounts show Prince Charles's funding from the taxpayer rose by almost a quarter last year to over £3m, mainly the result of a big increase in spending on official travel.
Prince Charles's expense claims show he spent £1.7m of taxpayer money on trains and planes.
Taxpayer funding of the Prince of Wales rose by more than 23 per cent last year. Clarence House accounts, published this morning, revealed an increase of more than £500,000 in government grants.
During 2007/08 the Prince's private income rose by 7 per cent to £16,273,000, an increase of just over £1 million.
At the same time, Prince Charles paid 10 per cent less in tax, as his private income from the Duchy of Cornwall estates rose by just one per cent.
His official expenditure rose by nearly 20 per cent from £10,451,000 to £12,513,000.
The prince's non-official expenditure fell by 23 per cent, from £2,217,000 to £1,710,000. The drop was attributed in part to the heir to the throne's decision to holiday in the UK last year.
"It's a recession and we have to say that we've looked at all costs very carefully," said Sir Michael Peat, senior aide to the prince. He also noted that the value of the Ducky of Cornwall assets was just under £600m.
The amount of carbon dioxide produced by Charles's household during 2007/08 fell by 18 per cent, or 630 tonnes to 2,795.
