Andrew's £7,000 golf trips

Prince Andrew used Ministry of Defence planes to fly him to St Andrews for two golfing trips at a cost to the taxpayer of more than £7,300, the royal accounts reveal today.

The second trip was in September when Prince Andrew spent three days at the "home of golf " costing £3,201. Prince Andrew was presenting prizes at an event to mark the 250th anniversary of the club. The Duke of York is captain of St Andrews Royal and Ancient golf club this year.

A senior royal aide said: "The R& A is not just another golf club, it is the world's ruling body of golf. He is captain during the club's 250th anniversary, a role he's agreed to fulfil for one year only. It is the sort of royal patronage people expect of him."

Prince Andrew spent almost £3,000 on travelling to a lunch in Oxford the accounts reveal. They show that he chartered a helicopter to attend the lunch in June which was held to foster relations with Oman. Buckingham Palace was charged £2,939 for the 120-mile round trip which could be completed for £34.30 by train.

A royal aide said Andrew needed to travel by helicopter because he had to attend a state banquet at Buckingham Palace that evening. Rules governing royal finances limit use of helicopters to trips of at least 50 miles.

The accounts show that the royal family cost about the price of two pints of milk for each of her subjects, Buckingham Palace said today.

The Keeper of the Privy Purse, Alan Reid, revealed the breakdown - about 61p per head of population - as it emerged that the cost of maintaining the royals had increased by £600,000 from £36.2 million to £36.8 million.

The increase, officials say, is due to the cost of the Queen's state visits, trips abroad made by other royals, and money spent on refurbishing and running occupied royal palaces.