The special privilege Queen Camilla won’t receive which Prince Philip did

In a switch up for the Royal Family’s funding, Queen Camilla won’t receive the same stipend that Prince Philip was afforded

Queen Camilla won't receive this special privilege which Prince Philip got until his death
(Image credit: Andrew Milligan - Pool/Getty Images)

It’s been reported that Queen Camilla will not receive a special annual funding as spouse to the monarch, despite Prince Philip having received it during his 70-year marriage to Queen Elizabeth II. The change is thought to be part of a bigger picture, as future funding of the Royal family is likely to alter “in substantial ways” under King Charles, claims a report by the National Audit Office in the United Kingdom.


Queen Camilla won’t receive the same level of funding for her personal appearances and duties which Prince Philip was afforded, it’s been confirmed.

The late Duke of Edinburgh received an annual lump sum of a little under $500,000 per year (£359,000) until his death, despite a change in the way the Royal family’s activities were funded by the taxpayer.

Prince Philip maintained a special allowance after the Civil List became the Sovereign Grant

(Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

The Civil List was changed to the Sovereign Grant in 2012. However, due to Philip being named specifically in carried-over legislation, he continued to receive the same taxpayer funding until his death.

But now, the National Audit Office’s (NAO) report into the Royal household’s finances revealed that the cost of the Queen’s activities will be met only via the Sovereign Grant, with no additional financial input from the taxpayer.

The report noted that as the King’s “future program of activities” had yet to be determined, his reign could “alter future funding needs in substantial ways.”

We already know that Charles favors the idea of a slimmed-down monarchy, so these changes could reflect his vision.

The Sovereign Grant is reviewed every five years but currently stands at 25% of the Crown Estate’s net surplus two years prior.

This totaled £86.3 million of funding for the Royal Family in 2022-23. 10% of it was spent towards the ongoing redevelopment of Buckingham Palace.

The shift in taxpayer funding for the Queen is not the only major shift expected to come into place under King Charles.

Earlier this year, it was reported that wind farm deals approved for the Crown Estate could see an influx of up to an extra £1 billion a year.

This additional income, under the current financial formula, would grant the royals’ Sovereign Grant more than £100m extra a year.

However, it’s likely the money will be divvied up differently, especially as King Charles had stated in January that he wished for the wind farm profits to be used for the wider public good.

A Palace official later confirmed there would be an “appropriate adjustment” to the current financial formula which has yet to be announced.

Jack Slater
Freelance writer

Jack Slater is not the Last Action Hero, but that's what comes up first when you Google him. Preferring a much more sedentary life, Jack gets his thrills by covering news, entertainment, celebrity, film and culture for woman&home, and other digital publications.

Having written for various print and online publications—ranging from national syndicates to niche magazines—Jack has written about nearly everything there is to write about, covering LGBTQ+ news, celebrity features, TV and film scoops, reviewing the latest theatre shows lighting up London’s West End and the most pressing of SEO based stories.