November 22, 2024
The coronation of Charles of England cost £72 million. “An obscene expense” defines it as Graham Smith, the CEO of Republic. Movement that aims to abolish the monarchy and which on 6 May 2024 organized a sit-in protest while the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the crown on the head of the new sovereign in Westminster Abbey. The British Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced that it had incurred 50.3 million pounds (about 63 million euros) in direct costs for the ceremony. To which must be added 21.7 million pounds (25 million euros) of expenses from the Ministry of the Interior for the policemen responsible for monitoring the event and ensuring its safety. “If we also add the costs incurred by the Ministry of Defense for the soldiers deployed, Transport for London, the firefighters and the expenses incurred by the municipalities, the overall budget varies between 100 and 250 million pounds”, underlines Republic. “All money coming from taxpayers’ taxes. A sum for one person’s parade when there is no requirement in the Constitution and law. And this while Britain is facing cuts to essential services.” “A useless waste of money in the midst of an economic crisis in a country where the rate of child poverty has increased,” insists Smith.
“The Coronation was a once-in-a-lifetime event that brought us together to celebrate, a unique opportunity to celebrate and strengthen our national identity and showcase the United Kingdom to the world,” the government reiterated. The event was followed in Great Britain by 20 million people live on television and by billions of people globally. But there are those who point out that 29 million English people watched Elizabeth’s funeral on TV and there were more than one million people waiting for the coffin to pass on the Mall on 19 September 2022. King Charles had promised a more sober ceremony than his mother’s coronation on 2 June 1953. She invited eight thousand dignitaries to the ceremony at Westminster, Charles reduced the number to less than five thousand. At the time, however, the republican movement had no strength. And no one pointed out the costs: four million pounds which is equivalent to more than one hundred million euros today.
“The expenses incurred for Charles’ coronation – insists Smith – are added to the 500 million pounds a year that taxpayers already support to maintain the monarchy”. Not to mention that 2.8 million are added to the expenses for Coronation Day for the concert at Windsor Castle with Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. The controversy also extended to the inheritance tax that the new monarch did not have to pay for the assets received from Elizabeth II: lands, palaces, jewels, works of art and the very rich (in terms of revenue) Duchy of Lancaster, possession of English monarchs since 1399. Under a clause agreed with the Crown thirty-one years ago by then Prime Minister John Major, any inheritance passed “from sovereign to sovereign” avoids the 40% tax applied to assets worth more than £325,000. The savings were therefore enormous for Buckingham Palace.
Coronation Cash or a Royal Racket?
Ah, the coronation of King Charles III — an event so extravagantly choreographed that even Disney would be left in awe! A whopping £72 million (or about the cost of a moderately-sized football club) lit up the Royal Coffer like a Christmas tree, except this tree is adorned with taxpayer money, and the lights don’t quite seem to be ‘on’ for everyone. Was that really necessary? Graham Smith, the CEO of the Republic movement, hit the nail on the head calling it “an obscene expense.” Of course, one man’s royal gala is another man’s fiscal nightmare!
The Numbers Game: Royal Edition
Let’s break it down, shall we? The British Department for Culture, Media and Sport rounded up a dainty 50.3 million pounds for direct costs. Remember, that’s like compiling a storyline out of “The Crown” with no budget caps. But wait, there’s more! The Ministry of the Interior contributed an additional £21.7 million to keep an eye on things — let’s hope they didn’t confuse security with a “find the crook” competition! Add in contributions from the Ministry of Defense and various local services, and we’re staring at a bill that could easily balloon between £100 and a jaw-dropping £250 million!
Which brings us to the biggest question…
“Is this a monarchy or a fancy dress party on tax dollars?”
Picture this: a nation where essential services are facing cuts, and child poverty is on the rise, while a single day of ceremonial splendor could fund a small village or at least upgrade the local trampoline park! Makes you want to shake your head in disbelief. Oh, the irony—it’s raining crowns while the average Brit is running out of umbrellas!
A Collective ‘Hoorah!’ or Just a Big ‘Why Bother?’
Now, the government chimed in saying, apparently oblivious to the irony, that this was a once-in-a-lifetime event meant to strengthen national identity. I mean, if that’s the case, shouldn’t we be addressing identity crises with a slightly less financially ruinous solution? Besides, 20 million curious folks tuning in isn’t too shabby, but let’s not forget Elizabeth’s funeral drew 29 million viewers. Maybe we’re just more interested in a good send-off than a lavish crowning! I’m assuming the fireworks were CGI, to save a few quid.
Value for Money? Or Just Royal Racket?
Beyond the crown jewels and extravagant spreads lies the staggering fact that £500 million is coughed up annually to keep the monarchy afloat– or should it be “afloat but not on taxpayers’ dimes?” And let’s not even skim the surface of the inheritance tax loophole that King Charles dodged smoother than one of Lee Evans’ physical comedy routines! The deal established years ago allows a sovereign to pass on their riches without the pesky 40% inheritance tax. Talk about being “crowned” rich!
Let’s Wrap It Up With a Royal Bow
In the grand scheme of things, we’re left with two main questions: firstly, if we’re funding a royal family, shouldn’t they at least act like public figures? And secondly, is it time to rethink what the public is actually paying for? Don’t get me wrong, there’s something marvelous about tradition; however, when the costs stack up like a game of Jenga at a pub, one can’t help but wonder if it’s high time we put down the crown and pick up the collective wallet instead.
In conclusion, money may not grow on trees, but it certainly seems to fly when there’s a crown involved! Here’s to the next big bash—may it be a little less, shall we say, *costly*!
November 22, 2024
The coronation ceremony of King Charles III of England accumulated a staggering £72 million in expenses, a figure deemed by critics to be “an obscene expense,” according to Graham Smith, the CEO of the Republic movement. This organization advocates for the abolition of the monarchy and organized a notable sit-in protest on May 6, 2024, as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, ceremoniously placed the crown on the head of the new sovereign inside the iconic Westminster Abbey. The British Department for Culture, Media and Sport disclosed that direct costs related to the coronation were around £50.3 million (approximately €63 million). Furthermore, an additional £21.7 million (about €25 million) was dedicated to the Ministry of the Interior for the police forces tasked with overseeing the event’s safety and security. Republic highlights that if one includes expenses incurred by the Ministry of Defense for military personnel, costs from Transport for London, firefighting services, and local municipalities, the total financial commitment could range between £100 million and £250 million. “All money coming from taxpayers’ taxes. A sum for one person’s parade when there is no requirement in the Constitution and law. And this while Britain is facing cuts to essential services.” Smith argues passionately, labeling the event as “a useless waste of money amid an economic crisis in a country where the rate of child poverty has increased.”
“The Coronation was a once-in-a-lifetime event that brought us together to celebrate, a unique opportunity to celebrate and strengthen our national identity and showcase the United Kingdom to the world,” reiterated the government in defense of the cost. The grand event attracted an audience of 20 million in Great Britain alone, with billions more tuning in from across the globe. In comparison, statistics reveal that 29 million English viewers watched the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on television, with over one million individuals gathering to witness the procession along The Mall on September 19, 2022. King Charles had previously committed to a more streamlined coronation event compared to that of his mother’s lavish ceremony on June 2, 1953. While the late Queen invited a grand total of eight thousand dignitaries, King Charles opted for a more modest guest list of under five thousand. Notably, during the previous coronation, public scrutiny regarding costs was nonexistent, as the total expenses amounted to four million pounds, an equivalent of over one hundred million euros in today’s economy.
“The expenses incurred for Charles’ coronation – insists Smith – are added to the £500 million a year that taxpayers already support to maintain the monarchy.” The royal festivities for Coronation Day also included a concert at Windsor Castle featuring high-profile artists such as Take That, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie, accumulating an additional £2.8 million in expenditures. The discourse around the coronation also extended to the considerable inheritance tax exemption that the new monarch received on the assets inherited from the late Queen Elizabeth II, which include extensive lands, majestic palaces, exquisite jewels, and valuable works of art. Moreover, the lucrative Duchy of Lancaster, a possession of English monarchs since 1399, was also inherited tax-free. This was made possible under a clause negotiated between then-Prime Minister John Major and the Crown over three decades ago, which stipulated that inheritance passed “from sovereign to sovereign” is exempt from the 40% tax applied to assets valued over £325,000, resulting in significant financial savings for Buckingham Palace.
