£4MILLION: to refurbish Kate's palace, New kitchen, nursery and several bathrooms.

                                               The cost of transforming the Kensington 'apartment' - which has over 22 rooms - into a family home for the royal couple (inset) has soared by £3million in the last year. The vast project has seen Apartment 1A, which had been used as office space since the death of Princess Margaret, refurbished - with a new kitchen installed as well as several bathrooms and a nursery for Prince George. The couple are personally paying for all fixtures and fittings like curtains, carpets and furniture, however. One courtier last night insisted the Kensington Palace project (exterior pictured right, King's Gallery top right and Cupola room, left, both of which are part of the King's State Apartments) actually offered taxpayers 'great value' given the previous state of the flat.