You spend £256,000 on a swanky flat for Princess Beatrice
A STUDENT flat for Princess Beatrice cost taxpayers £256,000 to refurbish, even though she performs no official role in the Royal Family.
Prince Andrew’s elder daughter, a student at Goldsmiths College in London, could have moved into an £85-a-week university hall of residence but chose instead to settle for a split-level four-bedroom apartment at St James’s Palace.
Beatrice, 20, who is studying history and history of ideas, claimed she chose not to live on campus because it was kinder to allow someone from further afield to have the place in hall. But royal accounts revealed yesterday the true cost to the public of her gesture.
Palace officials secured taxpayers’ money for a flat previously used by staff to be completely refurbished with a new fitted kitchen, bathrooms, timber flooring in the two main reception rooms, and redecoration throughout.
Their decision, approved by the then Culture Secretary Andy Burnham, to create possibly the most expensive student flat in history outraged the TaxPayers’ Alliance.
Spokeswoman Susie Squire said: “Princess Beatrice doesn’t bring any tangible benefit to taxpayers as she doesn’t undertake official duties on behalf of the Queen.”
Aides said the flat, which was rewired and had asbestos removed, was refurbished to the same standards as any staff apartment. Prince Andrew then paid a small sum on top of the £256,000 to make it suitable for Beatrice.
“She was given the flat because she is the child of a member of the Royal Family who does undertake official duties,” said one senior palace official.
The figures were revealed in the annual royal finances report, which also showed the royals’ travel costs have risen by five per cent in the last year to £6.2million.
