The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s African trip last year cost the public £245,643, according to official accounts.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Africa trip cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds, according to royal accounts released this week. The announcement comes as it was revealed that the Queen could face a £35 million funding shortfall.

According to reports published on Thursday, the couple’s 10-day journey to Africa included stops in Botswana and South Africa.

However, the couple shattered months of work by staff and diplomats by launching a stinging rebuke against the media during the publicly funded trip, as well as secretly filming an explosive TV documentary in which Meghan painted Harry’s family as uncaring by accusing them of failing to ever ask if she was ‘OK.’

According to royal records, the couple’s flights cost almost a quarter of a million pounds, making it the most costly royal trip made in 2019-2020.

According to sources, the expense was justified since it was a crucial tour authorized by the Foreign Office that helped showcase the work of many organizations.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex undertook over 20 engagements, bringing attention to a number of worthwhile causes, in particular, raising awareness of the work and the legacy of the Halo Trust,” a source said.

“So, the visit, as an official visit funded by the government, fulfilled the objectives that were set out for it and so therefore there would be no requirement or obligation on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to make any payments in relation to that official visit.”

The Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Michael Stevens, said, “We have no intention of asking for extra funding and will look to manage the impact through our own efforts and efficiencies.”

The monarchy is also projected to lose £15 million over the next three years owing to a decrease in revenue from the Royal Collection Trust.

The Royal Household has also forecast that a significant drop in tourist income at the palaces would cost it £15 million over the next three years.

According to the Sovereign Grant, the Royal Family cost the public £69.4 million in 2019-20.

An additional £210,345 was paid by royal officials on a private charter aircraft to transport Prince Charles to Oman to pay his condolences after the king’s death.

According to a royal source, the charter trip to Muscat and returning to RAF Marham to attend a summit on Harry and Meghan’s future was arranged at the last minute since no commercial planes were available.

According to the documents, Prince Andrew paid £15,848 for a charter aircraft to Northern Ireland to attend the Royal Portrush Golf Club Open Championship.

Aides said that a charter was the only way to meet his commitments.

Last year’s trip to Pakistan by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was the third most costly of the year, costing £117,116, but was deemed a great success by ministers.

In the previous fiscal year, the total cost of official royal travel to the taxpayer was £5.3 million.