Taxpayers forced to pay bill for Prince Charles visit

Australian taxpayers will be charged close to half a million dollars for this month’s brief royal tour.

Prince Charles and Camilla are due to fly out of Australia on Sunday after a five-day tour that took them to Adelaide, the Barossa Valley, Canberra, Sydney, Perth and Albany.

But they’ll be leaving a hefty bill behind.

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has confirmed it is covering the costs of the trip.

“The total cost of the visit is not yet known but it is expected that it will be consistent with past visits,” a spokesperson said.

The department pointed out the royal couple’s last visit, a similar six-day trip in November 2012, cost it $437,057.

That included roughly $257,000 for transport, $85,000 for meals, accommodation and incidentals, $66,500 for media work, $5500 for hospitality and events and $23,000 in so-called miscellaneous costs.

Welfare: Prince Charles and Camilla living off taxpayers.

The department’s figures do not include the cost of security, which would take the total much higher.

Taxpayers were charged $474,000 to host Prince William and his young family in April last year but that was considered a “budget” trip because the costs were spread over 10 days.

A 2011 visit by the Queen and her husband cost taxpayers $2.7 million.

This was Charles’ 15th visit to Australia. His first was almost 50 years ago, when he spent two terms at a Victorian school.

He met Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull – a former leader of the Australian Republican Movement – in Canberra on Wednesday. Mr Turnbull once accused Prince Charles of “unashamed adultery” over his relationship with his then-mistress Camilla.

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