Following the publication of our 2012 Annual Review, several British newspapers reported that The Prince of Wales had received an 11 per cent “pay rise” from the Government, primarily to meet the cost of his overseas trips.

This is misleading because all official overseas visits are undertaken by The Prince and The Duchess at the request of the British Government and, therefore, paid for by the Government.

Royal visits overseas are of real value to the country, according to Simon Fraser, Head of the Diplomatic Service for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He says Members of the Royal Family travel abroad to “promote our foreign policy objectives and UK interests throughout the world.” On the past year’s overseas travel, he adds: “The visits of The Prince of Wales have supported British business, investment and development goals and promoted our values around the world.”

In 2011-12, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall undertook official tours to South Africa and Tanzania, and to Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark and Sweden). The Prince also made official visits to Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and made a short trip to Washington DC where he had a meeting with President Obama. During the year, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the USA on behalf of the British Government at the end of their official visit to Canada, while Prince Harry visited Brazil on behalf of the UK at the end of his Jubilee trip to Caribbean Realms.