How Can This Be Justified

The rest of the renovations are being paid for by the tax payer though. Fair enough if 'we' own the building but as I said before how much rent are they paying us ?

This is from the article in the Mirror:
"It emerged earlier this month that Kate has decided to redecorate the interior of Apartment 1A because she was unhappy with the colour scheme.

A source close to the Palace stressed that interior furnishings and decorating costs are paid for privately and not by the taxpayer. The holidays to the Maldives and Mustique were also paid for by the royals themselves."

No problem then.

The taxpayers costs include the removal of asbestos. It seems to be about modernising to make the apartment "fit" for W&K and the baby. The decorating isn't being paid for by taxpayers.

Exactly "if someone else pays" thatbags. You can be sure they won't be going round B & Q looking for wallpaper bargains in order to brighten the place up a little bit.

Why would Will and Kate be any different? Especially if someone else pays.

I think a case could be made that nearly all redecorating is "unjustifiable" if the rooms in question are habitable without redecoration, which I expect the ones at KP are. I'm sure many people redecorate their homes for relatively superficial reasons.

The 'granny' appartments were talked about when they said they would not have a nanny because they were just a couple who wanted to bring up their child in a normal atmosphere. So, not needed now. They will have to redecorate .

Oh surely they have a back up nanny for when nanny number one is having time off. How on earth could they possibly manage otherwise?

No, I'm not a royalist.

Maybe Granny Middleton just likes being on granny duty, like some of the grans on here. Maybe the nanny gets time off even.

I agree with you J52 when so many young families are finding it really hard they seem to be "rubbing our face in it" somewhat. Obviously things like recessions, austerity, cut backs etc. do not effect these people who float along on their own little cloud.

Just wondering does one need to be on "granny duty" when one has access to a full time nanny anyway?

I read the Sue Townsend book when it came out a few years ago. Amusing!
However, there are some real issues about having such excess paraded about in the media, when so many young families are having a hard time. Just my personal thought! X

I read somewhere that Carol Middleton will have her own quarters for when she's on granny duty. My granny quarters usually consist of a sofa bed in the living room with the downstairs loo as an 'ensuite'

Has anyone read The Queen and I by Sue Townsend?

)

That looks like my phase 8 silver sequin dress she's wearing! How dare she!
(Looks better on her than on me

J52 I think it is reported to be about 66p a year for each of us. It would be interesting to see how many would pay that if it was voluntary. Not going to happen then is it ? Maybe we could do a poll.

I'm also wondering how much rent they pay as many of the royal residences are own by 'us'.

J52 funny I think if it were down to public contributions they would be living in a Garden Shed.......

I wasn't concerning myself about the justification or otherwise of it, only questioning whether it really is a three-person household. Presumably there are security personnel as well as a nanny? Funny how little we know.

I wonder how much money would be available if they relied on voluntary contributions? x

If they have a Nanny and other employees, does that Justify it all?

Is it really a family of three? Don't they have a nanny and other employees?

It just saddens me so much that all that money wasted, when it is so desperately needed elsewhere. It shouldn't be allowed

Apologies Merlot, I misinterpreted your inverted commas, they are open to interpretation ?

Exactly Absent Why indeed?

That's why I used inverted commas, Rosannie