This is how much money the royal family is given in allowances

Don't look if you're itching for payday

Words by Jadie Troy-Pryde

Queen Elizabeth may have turned 91 this year, but she is showing no signs of retiring. The longest serving British monarch has been on the throne for 65 years now, and over the years her family has secured the hearts of the nation - from Prince William and Kate Middleton and their adorable children, George and Charlotte, to Prince Harry and his hilarious blunders, we can't get enough of the Windsors.

But how much can a member of the royal family expect to get given in allowances? We know that they have had salaried jobs - both William and Harry took positions in the army - but they are also expected to dedicate themselves to various charitable causes and get involved with public events. So just how much do they get given to cover their expenses?

The British Palace recently revealed that in order to live the royal high life it costs about £3 million a year. This covers the royals' travel, staff and official wardrobes.

According to the Palace, the bill is footed by Prince Charles. The Queen's eldest son owns a huge estate which was given to him in order to fund the public and private livelihood of the family. Oh, and apparently he likes to spoil his grandchildren with a bit of pocket money.

We're going to go ahead and assume it isn't loose change here and there for some penny sweets.

However, when it comes to Kate and Wills the exact amount is a bit vague.

A source told The People: 'We can't identify how much of it is allocated to their office.'

But the average £3 million sum supposedly doesn't cover their country home, Amner Hall, or their personal staff - or travel.

Food for thought while we tuck into last night's leftovers and weep until payday.