Expert warns Britain ‘shouldn’t have Royal Family’ unless we do one key thing
The Royal Family should be funded properly to allow them to fulfil their vital role, a royal expert has said.
The Royal Family should be funded properly to ensure that they can continue to represent the best of Britain, a royal expert has insisted. The Sovereign Grant, the amount given to the Royal Family each year, was £86.3 million last year, equating to around 77p per person in the UK. It comes as King Charles III has aimed to reduce royal expenditure, doing so by 17% in the last financial year.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward told the Daily Mirror: “King Charles knew having so many working royals was costing far too much. He immediately reduced the number. “No more jumping in and out of helicopters as they used to. They are all now extremely conscious of the costs and the unsustainable impact on the environment.” The amount of money generated by the Royal Family has been a long-term source of debate, with Visit Britian not including the specific amount in their annual reports since 2017.
However, past research by Visit Britain has shown that 60% of tourists visiting the UK visit one of the royal attractions during their visit, providing a cash injection into the local economy of hotels, cafes and restaurants. The latest figures released by the Royal Collection Trust show that the royal residences saw nearly 2 million visitors last year, generating £61.9 million. Seward argues that in order for the Royal Family to continue to perform their vital role to UK tourism and soft power, they must continue to receive sufficient funding to enable their work.
Seward said: “They are representing what is supposed to be the best of Britain. “If we are not prepared to fund them properly, we shouldn’t have them, they are excellent value for money.” The comments on public funding come at a time of economic hardship for many families across the UK as the royals attempt to modify their working practises to be mindful of the plight of ordinary people. The King has reduced the amount of working royals since ascending to the throne in a coronation that cost around £800,000, a substantially reduced figure from other coronations in relative terms.
The Prince of Wales has also worked hard to ensure that the royal family acts as a force for good across society.
He has recently spent time visiting homeless organisations across the UK whilst launching a campaign to end homelessness within the UK.
