Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Frogmore Cottage eviction was ‘just the start’ of King Charles III’s ‘five-year’ plan to slim down the monarchy, claims senior source

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published 25 March 2023

King Charles III's plan to slim-down the monarchy has begun, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's eviction from Frogmore Cottage marking the start of the King's five-year slim-down plan, a senior source has claimed.

A senior source has claimed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's eviction from Frogmore Cottage was just the beginning of King Charles III's five-year plan to slim down the monarchy.
The King reportedly aims to reduce the number of royals who are dependent financially on the monarchy, wanting them to pay for their own housing rather than relying on their titles to pay rents.
In other royal news, Prince Harry has appeared at London's High Court for legal proceedings against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers Limited.

King Charles' long suspected plan for a slimed down monarchy is reportedly underway. According to reports, the King is carrying out a 'major shake-up' that will see more members of the royal family, even some who are working members, have to fund themselves rather than relying on The Firm to support them.

The plan will reportedly be complete in the next five years with sources explaining that the changes are not just about cutting spending, but allocating money to where it needs to be most. One senior figure told The Evening Standard, “It is not about cuts, it is about getting the best value for money from those on the payroll. Sometimes less is more.”

The news comes after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's surprise eviction from Frogmore Cottage, with sources telling The Evening Standard that their eviction is both "just the start" and the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to King Charles' slim-down plan to limit spending on the royal family.

According to reports in The Evening Standard, Charles's end aim is to reduce the number of royal family members who are financially dependent on the monarchy, planning for them to pay for their own housing.

A source bluntly told the publication, "The King is not some sort of housing association for distant relatives." They also shared that royal properties will be rented out to people "outside the family" to boost income, though a strict vetting process will be carried out for obvious security reasons.

Further decreasing their spend, King Charles and Queen Camilla reportedly also plan to cut the number of staff positions in royal households. But while they are limiting the amount of jobs, according to reports, they want to offer competitive salaries and pensions for Palace staff to ensure the most capable employees apply and are fully compensated for their work.

A Palace insider told the Evening Standard, "The staffing has been on the top-heavy side. That has built up over time, with advisers to advisers and so on. That's all going to stop. The boss wants effective people in effective positions doing effective jobs being paid appropriately."

The outlet report that King Charles has worked closely with Prince William, his heir, on the plans to ensure the monarchy "fit for purpose."

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Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a news writer for Goodtoknow, specialising in family content. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.