As King Charles III prepares for his coronation on Saturday, some Britons are questioning why taxpayers have to pay for the lavish event. The cost of the coronation is estimated to be between £50 million and £100 million, on top of the cost of a large security operation. With many people in the UK struggling to afford basic necessities, such as food and fuel, some feel that the cost of the coronation is a waste of money. A recent survey showed that 51% of respondents felt that the ceremony should not be paid for by the government.
In contrast to the expensive coronation, some people are turning to charitable organisations, such as The Trussell Trust, for assistance. The NGO provided nearly three million emergency food parcels between April 2017 and March 2018, a 37% increase compared to the previous year.
Although Buckingham Palace has said that the “true figures” for the coronation “will be shared in due course”, a spokesman has stated that a national occasion like this “does attract huge global interest that more than repays the expenditure that goes with it”. The British Beer and Pub Association estimates that the event will generate an extra £120 million for pubs across the country, with the hospitality industry also expecting a significant boost.
However, anti-monarchy groups argue that the cost of the coronation is a “slap in the face for millions of people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis”. Graham Smith, head of the anti-monarchy group Republic, believes that the ceremony has “no place in modern society”. Despite this criticism, Buckingham Palace has emphasised that “efficiencies” have been found in key areas, and that compared to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, the ceremony for King Charles III will be slimmed down to 2,300 guests.
