So Prince William and his wife, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge are soon to welcome their first child, the latest addition to the royal family. As part of the preparation for Catherine's delivery next month, renovations were made to their home, the posh Kensington Palace. But the royal couple's grand welcome of their baby involved individuals who do not exactly have the blood of the kinds running through their veins. In particular, taxpayers are reportedly part of the whopping 1 million pound (approximately 1.6 AUD) renovation of the said abode.

Catherine, after giving birth, will be staying at the Apartment 1A of the palace with her husband and their little bundle of joy. The place they are about to call their new home was where late Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II's sister, used to reside.

Since the latter part of the 17th century, the palace which was bought by William III and Mary II has been an apartment for the royals, according to Architectural Digest.

The complex is four-storey structure. There are living quarters, staff quarters, entertaining space and nursery in it. Recent renovations added new gardens to the property.

Going back, where did the taxpayer's money went? Hello magazine gave us a breakdown. The £600,000 portion of the sum was used to pay for the renovation works. The rest of the reported amount was spent on roof repairs.

The water system of the redbrick structure was also replaced. The same was done for its electric and heating systems.

The royal couple similarly made it a point to make the house a safe haven for their young family especially for their first baby. More to the point, they got rid of asbestos-which can pose threats to their health-from the property.

While the taxpayers can't really spend the night at the palace they helped revive, if for any consolation, it is worth noting that the property deserved its makeover. Until the recent modifications, the palace had been what it was since the sixties.

The renovation works of the central London royal apartment complex are expected to conclude by Autumn. For the meantime, William and his very pregnant wife lives at the two-bedroom Nottingham cottage which is not exactly far from their future home.