LONDON - BRITAIN'S Prince Charles cost the taxpayer almost 25 per cent more last year than the previous 12 months, his accounts showed on Tuesday - despite cutting his costs by almost half a million pounds.

The annual report published by Clarence House shows government and taxpayer funds given to the heir to the throne went up by 23 per cent from 2.45 million to three million pounds (S$7.16 million).

Prince Charles' aides said two foreign tours to Asia and Latin America were responsible for most of the increase, with official transport costs going up from 1.16 million pounds in the 2007-8 tax year to 1.71 million in 2008-9.

However, Clarence House insisted Prince Charles had responded to the recession by cutting his personal costs by 23 per cent, from 2.2 million pounds to 1.7 million pounds, as well as managing his estate carefully.

Part of the savings were attributed to the prince's decision to holiday in Britain rather than abroad, aides noted. He and his wife Camilla spent their holidays in Scotland throughout the past year.

Prince Charles' private income from the Duchy of Cornwall, the royal estate comprising agricultural, commercial and residential property, went up slightly from 16.27 million pounds to 16.46 million.

'We are by no means immune to it (the recession),' said Sir Michael Peat, the prince's senior aide.

'The Duchy of Cornwall is a ship designed to sail in most weather conditions but we have to look at areas and be careful. We are always reviewing all costs the whole time,' he said. -- AFP