The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have said they will pay back £2.4 million in taxpayers' money spent on renovating their Berkshire home, as they step back from royal duties.

In a statement from Buckingham Palace on Saturday, the palace said Harry and Meghan will pay back the funds spent on Frogmore Cottage, on the Windsor estate.

The Grade-II listed building, which the couple moved into just nine months ago, will stay as their UK home.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home," Buckingham Palace said.

It was previously reported that the staff who help run the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Berkshire home are to be deployed elsewhere when the couple are in Canada.

READ MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan will no longer get public funding 

Their new website, sussexroyal.com, says Harry and Meghan moved to Windsor for "various reasons", and mentioned the fact that their previous residence of Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace "could not accommodate their growing family".

The website points out that the option of Apartment 1 in Kensington Palace was estimated to cost in excess of £4m for mandated renovations including the removal of asbestos, and would not have been available for them to occupy until the fourth quarter of 2020.

"As a result, Her Majesty The Queen offered the Duke and Duchess the use of Frogmore Cottage, which was already undergoing mandated renovations, and would be available to move in before the birth of their son.

"The refurbishment cost equated to 50% of the originally suggested property for their proposed official residence at Kensington Palace."It is for these reasons, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose Frogmore Cottage as their official residence," the website says.

Despite having "cottage" in its name, Harry and Meghan's UK home – located close to Windsor Castle – has four bedrooms and a nursery.

Frogmore Cottage underwent major work to turn five properties back into a single mansion - with all fixtures and fittings paid for privately by the duke and duchess.

The couple is said to have hired former Soho House interior designer Vicky Charles to transform the residence.

It is likely that they installed a luxury kitchen and bathroom, and it has reportedly been designed by Harry and Meghan with dining and entertaining in mind and with extra bedrooms to accommodate guests, such as the duchess's mother Doria Ragland.

After annual royal accounts were released last June, campaigners called for a parliamentary inquiry to be launched into spending on the monarchy.

Republic, which calls for an elected head of state, questioned why £2.4m of taxpayers' money had been "thrown" at Frogmore Cottage while public services were under financial pressure.

Frogmore Cottage, which is about half a mile south of the Queen's favourite residence Windsor Castle, is close to Frogmore House where the duke and duchess held their evening wedding reception.

Frogmore House is also where the couple posed for their official engagement photos.

It has been a royal residence since 1792 and was built in around 1680 by Charles II's architect.

In 1923, the Queen's parents – the future George VI and Queen Elizabeth – spent part of their honeymoon there.

The name Frogmore is derived from the frogs which have always lived in the low-lying marshy area.

What does it say?

Harry and Meghan are no longer going to be working royals, will not be carrying out royals duties and they will not use their HRH styles.

What does this mean?

The couple have effectively stepped down, not just as senior royals, but as working royals in general.

The dual role they suggested in their bombshell statement - of earning their own money and carrying out royal duties - is not going to happen.

How will they be funded?

Buckingham Palace said they will no longer receive public funds for royal duties, because they will not be carrying any out.

When will the changes take place?

In the spring of 2020.

Will they be financially independent?

Not completely. They will the earn their own money, but the Prince of Wales will also continue to offer private financial support to the couple.

This is expected to come from his £21 million a year Duchy of Cornwall income.

Will they still get round the clock protection officers paid for by the taxpayers?

Buckingham Palace said it does not comment on security matters.

But it added: "There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly funded security."

And what about Frogmore Cottage?

Harry and Meghan will pay back £2.4 million in taxpayers' money spent on renovating their Berkshire home.

Will they still use it as their base when in the UK?

Yes. And they will pay rent at a commercial rate on the property.

Where will they spend most of their time?

They will spend the majority of their time in North America.

What about their patronages?

They will keep their royal patronages as private patronages and associations.

But Harry will be stepping down from his military appointments.

He will no longer be Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, and Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands' Small Ships and Diving.

What about their Commonwealth roles?

Harry is quitting his role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.

But he will remain president of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust, and Meghan will still be the Trust's vice-president.

What did the Queen say about the decision?

The Queen also issued a statement, saying: "Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family."

She said they had her support and she recognised the "challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years".

What did she say about Meghan?

The Queen thanked the couple for their dedicated work, and added she was "particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family".

She said: "It is my whole family's hope that today's agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life."

Will they still be able to use Sussex Royal as their brand?

It is not known whether this will be possible at this stage. But as they are not effectively royal anymore it is difficult to see how this would work.

Will they do any more official engagements?

Yes, they may carry out some before the change in the spring.

Will the public ever see them at major royal events such as Trooping the Colour again?

They might appear at major royal events at the invitation of the Queen.