Royals' Caribbean jaunt costs Brit taxpayers over 200K pounds

London, June 8 : A Caribbean cruise holiday taken by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will cost British taxpayers a whopping 220,000 pounds.

Charles and Camilla hired a 246ft luxury yacht for their 12-day break to the West Indies in March, reports the Mirror.

The immense 50 million pounds Leander, secured at "mates' rates" from Camilla's mega-rich pal Sir Donald Gosling, had a swimming pool, Jacuzzi deck, 50-inch plasma screen, grand piano and gym.

The royal couple, who flew first or business class, also spent 10,176 pounds on food and drink on the Foreign Office tour.

Shipping Minister Jim Fitzpatrick told MPs it was "the best value for money", reducing the couple's carbon footprint by 40 percent.

However, Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Taxpayers will be shocked that, while they're tightening belts, the royals are spending their money on extravagant foreign trips."

ANI