King Charles III’s coronation ceremony is set to take place this spring, and the cost is already over $100 million. As the cost of living increases in the United Kingdom, many are wondering if taxpayers will be the ones paying for the king’s event.
King Charles’ ‘stripped back’ coronation will still cost over $100 million
Palace insiders have already shared that King Charles’ coronation will be smaller than his late mother’s, Queen Elizabeth II. Her 1953 ceremony cost £1.57m. In today’s dollars, that would be £51m ($61 million USD).
According to The Sun, Charles’ coronation is expected to cost around £100 million ($120 million). That total will cover expenses like security, decorations for Westminster Abbey, and other ceremonial elements.
$120 million seems like a pretty high price for what palace sources claim will be a slimmed down coronation — what is Charles leaving out of his ceremony? The king’s coronation is set to be much shorter than his mother’s; hers was over three hours, while Charles’ is set to be between 90 minutes and two hours.
Additionally, he will only invite 2,000 guests to the coronation. Queen Elizabeth invited 8,000 people. Charles is also expected to wear one of his military uniforms at the ceremony. The late queen wore a gown with a 27-ft train that was designed specifically for her, according to Royal Collection Trust. No new outfit for Charles means cutting way down on clothing costs.
King Charles’ wish for a smaller coronation ceremony matches his plans for a slimmed-down monarchy. Sources say the king wants to cut down on working members of the royal family, which will also cut down on the cost of the royals to taxpayers.
Members of the British public criticize the royal family for expensive ceremony
The British government will pay for the coronation, which has created some pushback among the public. As the cost of living skyrockets in the UK, many have criticized King Charles and the rest of the royals for putting on such an expensive event.
“Working people are struggling to pay rent and mortgages and feed their kids. It is utterly crass for Charles to demand a coronation that will be every bit as extravagant as the last one,” says Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy group Republic (per Yahoo!).
“The coronation isn’t necessary; he is already King. This is all about promoting the monarchy and satisfying his ego.” However, the British government has argued that the worldwide TV rights to the televised ceremony will help cover costs and that the tourists traveling to the UK for the coronation will rejuvenate the economy, reports The Sun.
The pricey gems King Charles will wear during the coronation
Some of the items involved in the coronation that the government won’t be paying for include the impressive collection of Crown Jewels that King Charles will wear during the ceremony. The king will follow royal tradition by wearing the St. Edward’s Crown, which is made of solid gold and features over 400 gemstones, including rubies, sapphires, and garnets.
Another pricey item King Charles will use during the coronation is the Sovereign’s Scepter with Cross and the Sovereign’s Ring. The scepter boasts the world’s largest diamond: the 530-carat Cullinan diamond, which is worth $430,000,000.
Jeweler Maxwell Stone explained that the Coronation Regalia — the crowns, scepter, and orb — are “laced with history,” which makes it hard to put a price on the collection. He did estimate that the jewels are worth “a staggering $3.8 billion (£3.5 billion),” according to Crisscut.
