The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are making special preparations for the arrival of the royal baby, including a refurbishing of their new Kensington Palace home that they plan on moving into this fall, the Daily Mail reports.
Officials say the home make-over will reportedly cost British taxpayers £1m (almost $2 million), as although the royal couple are planning on paying for fixtures and furniture themselves - such as curtains, chairs and couches - the cost of basic building work such as heating, electric and plumbing will be paid for with money given to the Queen by the British government.
The Duke and Duchess are hoping to move into Apartment 1A, the enormous 57-room residence where Princess Margaret once lived with their newborn baby in autumn. Currently the residence is shrouded in scaffolding and coverings. Internal refurbishments cost £600,000, while the renewal of the roof has cost an additional £400,000.
A spokesperson for the royal couple said the work on the roof has been long overdue and the cost of internal refurbishments have dramatically increased due to the removal of asbestos.
"This essential structural work needed to be completed whoever moved into the buildings at Kensington Palace," a Palace spokesperson told the Daily Mail. "Large quantities of asbestos have had to be removed, as well as work on the heating and hot water systems and electrical wiring. The last major works in the apartment took place around the time that Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon moved in more than 50 years ago. The cost of interior decorating and furnishing of course falls to the Royal Family privately."
Annual accounts released today also say the couple is responsible for the most expensive international trip out of any royal family member in the last year.
During their official Diamond Jubilee Tour of and the South Pacific last fall, the couple spent a whopping £370,590 on flights alone. Nonetheless, the Queen's Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Alan Reid, insisted that the monarchy still offers "incredibly good value" for money, just 52.5 pounds for every man, woman and child in the country over the year.
In addition, it was revealed today that the Queen is to receive a five percent pay raise in income over the next year, taking the monarchy's income to almost £38million.
Click here to see photos of the Duke and Duchess's future residence.
