Funding for the Sussexes and the Cambridges contributed to a £5.6 million bill for the Prince of Wales in Harry and Meghan’s final year as senior royals, accounts show.

Charles paid for the public duties of Harry and Meghan and some of their private costs before they quit as working royals.

He still pays for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge out of his £22.2 million Duchy of Cornwall income.

Clarence House’s annual review revealed that the prince’s bill for the Sussexes’ and the Cambridges’ activities, plus other expenditure including Charles’s capital expenditure and transfer to reserves in 2019/2020, was £5.607 million in 2019-2020, up 11% or £556,000 from £5.051 million in 2018-2019.

The report provides no detailed breakdown of the funding for the activities of the Sussexes and the Cambridges.

Royal aides declined to comment on the reason for the increase, saying the money came from Charles’s private Duchy income.

The accounts run from April 2019 to the end of March 2020 – just after the UK went into lockdown and Charles contracted coronavirus.

Harry and Meghan, who quit the monarchy on March 31, featured in the video footage accompanying the review in images of Archie’s christening, including the official family group portrait and a black and white shot of Charles standing next to Harry as he holds his baby son.

The voiceover said, after the film examined Charles’s engagements commemorating global conflicts: “In happier moments, the year also saw different members of the family coming together to mark key dates in the calendar and to welcome new additions to the family as the prince became a grandfather for the fourth time.”

Harry and Meghan received financial support from Charles when they started their new life in the US.

A spokeswoman said at the time the couple were paying for their own security and Charles was making private financial contributions, but not necessarily from his Duchy income.

But Harry and Meghan became financially independent this summer after signing a multimillion-pound Megxit deal.

Charles’s non-official expenditure for himself and his family from his Duchy money was £3.2 million – up £45,000.

The money covers the salary costs of personal secretaries, chefs, valets, farm, garden and stable staff.

The cost of the prince’s London office and official residence fell from £668,000 to £521,000.

A source said the drop was due to lower costs on the repairs and refurbishments of Clarence House.