Latest news with #SovereignGrantReport
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
The staggering cost of King Charles and Queen Camilla's Australia tour laid bare in new royal accounts - and what Aussies paid for
The British Royal Household has published its annual Sovereign Grant Report, confirming the enormous cost of King Charles and Queen Camilla's historic trip to Australia and Samoa- the monarch's first official Commonwealth tour since his accession. According to the figures released on Monday, Their Majesties' 11-day visit in October 2023 racked up an eye-watering £400,535 (about AU$837,750). The King and Queen travelled from London to Sydney on 17 October via charter flight, before continuing on to Samoa on 23 October to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and representatives from across the 56 nations. The pair returned home on 27 October via a scheduled air flight, with a stopover in Singapore. While the travel costs were split between the British and Australian governments, the report confirmed that UK taxpayer funds covered approximately 50 per cent of the overall bill. Australia, however, was not solely responsible for footing the cost of flights, as Their Majesties were continuing their journey beyond Sydney. The report notes that travel-related expenses across the royal family rose slightly over the past year, with 216 official journeys costing over £17,000, totalling £2.7 million (about AUD $5.6 million). Of these, helicopter travel emerged as the most expensive mode of transport, with 141 flights totalling £475,290 (about AUD $994,280). In a bid to modernise operations and reduce emissions, the Royal Household also received two new helicopters in February to replace 15-year-old aeroplanes. The report notes these upgrades "will help reduce reliance on expensive fixed wing travel and increase the Royal Household's ability to utilise Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)". Meanwhile, the report confirmed the end of the late Queen Elizabeth II's beloved Royal Train, which will be retired by 2027. Although it only cost £77,908 (around AUD $163,000) across two trips in the past year, decommissioning the train is expected to save approximately £1 million (AUD $2 million) annually. In total, the Sovereign Grant, the annual payment from the UK government to support official royal duties, remained steady at £86.3 million (approx. AUD $180 million), consistent with the previous three years. However, that figure is set to rise. The Royal Household's income is forecast to increase to £132 million (around AUD $275 million) annually for the next two financial years. Reflecting on the value of the monarchy's contribution, Keeper of the Privy Purse James Chalmers said: "Soft power is hard to measure but its value is. "I believe, now firmly understood at home and abroad, as the core themes of the new reign have come into even sharper focus, and the Royal Family have continued in their service to the nation, Realms and Commonwealth." Despite the health battles of both King Charles and the Princess of Wales, who each underwent treatment for undisclosed forms of cancer in 2024, the report revealed members of the Royal Family carried out more than 1,900 public engagements across the year. Even for the 76-year-old King, who is still receiving treatment, he and Queen Camilla undertook a total of 604 engagements, including 90 joint appearances. "For Their Majesties, this is an increase on 2023–24, reflecting His Majesty's return to public-facing duties," the report stated.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
King Charles cancer update as key aide gives insight into monarch's 'resilience'
During a rundown of royal finances, one of the King's key aides revealed how the monarch is tackling his royal duties as he continues his cancer treatment The King has shown"remarkable resilience" as he carried on with royal engagement despite still receiving cancer treatment, according to one of his key aides. James Chalmers, the monarch's new Keeper of the Privy Purse who is in charge of royal finances, said at the annual Sovereign Grant briefing that Charles's approach illustrated his "personal commitment to duty". The rundown of royal finances - from April 1 2024 to March 31 2025 - covers the months following the King and the Princess of Wales's double cancer diagnosis and the majority of 2024 - the year described by the Prince of Wales as "brutal" and probably the hardest of his life. Charles made a rapid return to public-facing duties in April, while Kate made a more gradual one after revealing in September she had finished her chemotherapy treatment, and later confirmed at the start of 2025 that she was cancer-free. Mr Chalmers said: "This year has, of course, seen something of a 'return to normal business' after the health challenges faced by members of the family in the previous fiscal year. "Indeed, by happenstance, the period to which this Sovereign Grant Report relates correlates almost exactly with His Majesty's return to public-facing duties, in April of 2024. "In the subsequent months, the King demonstrated remarkable resilience by undertaking a wide programme of public and state duties at home and overseas while continuing to receive treatment, demonstrating not only His Majesty's personal commitment to duty but also the adaptability and resilience of the Royal Household in ensuring continuity of service, no matter the personal circumstances." Mr Chalmers said the King and the princess's return to public duties had been met with widespread public support "reflecting the profound connection the royal family maintains with people across the country and indeed the world". "No metric can fully capture the scale of this connection," he added, noting that the royal websites had seen a record 4.2 million new visitors, and the royal family's accounts had almost 400 million views of video content across its digital communications platforms and 1.3 billion impressions generated from its social media content. It comes as it was also revealed that the King is to axe the late Queen Elizabeth's beloved Royal Train after decades of service in an attempt to save cash towards the multimillion refit of Buckingham Palace. The locomotive steam train, comprising nine claret liveried sleeper, dining and lounge carriages, was the Queen's favourite mode of transport throughout her reign. The current train came into service for the late monarch's Silver Jubilee in 1977, pulled by one of two locomotives which use eco-conscious biofuel made from vegetable oil waste. Spiralling costs of the ageing fleet - including two trips last year which cost a combined £78,000 - has led King Charles to bid the "fondest of farewells" after approving its decommissioning for next year. The royals spent a total of £2.7million last year on travel by private jet, helicopters and rail, according to the annual royal accounts. One trip by the King and Queen to Australia and Samoa last October cost a staggering £400,000. As the royal train reaches the end of the line, ahead of the exorbitant maintenance contract ending in early 2027, accounts show Charles and other members of the royal family will rely on two new helicopters to get around - although palace aides stressed trains and other transport will be used. The Sovereign Grant, which pays for the royal family's official duties and the upkeep of royal palaces, is met from public funds in exchange for the King's surrender of the revenue from the Crown Estate, in exchange for 12 per cent back to run their affairs including travel, engagements at home and abroad and welcoming tens of thousands of people to the royal palaces. For the accounts last year, the royals cost the taxpayer £86.3 million for a fourth consecutive year. But record offshore wind farm profits have seen the Crown Estate net profits for the last financial year have again hit £1.1 billion - meaning a record-breaking Sovereign Grant of £132million will be handed out next year and the year after. Palace aides say the extra cash will go towards paying for the £369million refit of Buckingham Palace and the upkeep of other royal residences.
9 News
2 days ago
- Business
- 9 News
British monarchy will receive around $180 million in government funding, annual report shows
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here The British Royal Household released its financial statement on Monday, revealing that the annual lump sum from the government remained at £86.3 million ($AU180 million). The sum, called the Sovereign Grant, pays for the upkeep of royal palaces and the royals' official duties and is funded by British taxpayer money. In return, the monarch hands over all profits from the Crown Estate — which includes vast swathes of central London property, the Ascot Racecourse and the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland — to the government, in an arrangement dating back to 1760. The sum, called the Sovereign Grant, pays for the upkeep of royal palaces and the royals' official duties and is funded by British taxpayer money. (Getty) The Sovereign Grant functions like an expense account for the monarch and their representatives, covering the costs of their public duties, including travel, staff, and upkeep of historic properties. Notably, it excludes funding for security, which also incurs a high cost given the royals' numerous public engagements and events. Royal family members undertook more than "1,900 public engagements in the UK and overseas, while more than 93,000 guests attended 828 events at Official Royal Palaces," the annual Sovereign Grant Report said. The total grant of £86.3 million ($180 million), which by law remains the same as the three previous financial years, is comprised of a £51.8 million ($108 million), core grant and £34.5 million ($72.6 million) to fund the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace is undergoing a major modernisation project that will see upgrades to cabling and accessible bathrooms. (Getty) Buckingham Palace, a top tourist attraction in central London, is undergoing a major modernisation project that will see upgrades to electric cabling, pipework, elevators and accessible bathrooms. The royal family will decommission the royal train "following a thorough review into its use and value for money," according to the accounts report. The monarchy has been using its own rail travel since Queen Victoria first boarded a specially built carriage from Slough, England, to London Paddington Station in 1842. The report also said the Royal Household will increase its use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and continue the electrification of its fleet of vehicles. Last year, the Royal Household announced it aimed to transition to an "almost fully electric" fleet of vehicles, without providing a target date. Britain's PA Media reported that the King's two Bentleys would be modified to run on biofuel. The level of funding for the British royal family has long fueled criticism. (Getty) The royal family's three main sources of income are the Sovereign Grant, the Duchy of Lancaster and Duchy of Cornwall estates and their personal property and investments. The level of funding for the British royal family has long fueled criticism, with one anti-monarchy group calling for the Sovereign Grant to be abolished and for the British public to keep all the profits of the Crown Estate. "The grant system is mad. Funding goes up not because of any need for extra money, but because the grant is linked to government profits from land managed by the Crown Estate," Graham Smith, a campaigner for the group Republic, said in a statement earlier this year. "The palace has recycled the excuse of needing the money for refurbishment of Buckingham Palace, an excuse used to double the grant ten years ago." "It's time that half a billion pounds was put to good use, that there was proper accounting for the cost of the monarchy and for that cost to be slashed to just a few million pounds," Smith added. The Keeper of the Privy Purse, James Chalmers, said in a statement on Monday as the report was released: "Soft power is hard to measure but its value is, I believe, now firmly understood at home and abroad, as the core themes of the new reign have come into even sharper focus, and the Royal Family have continued in their service to the nation, Realms and Commonwealth." World UK Royal Family Europe CONTACT US
Western Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Western Telegraph
King and Queen's visit to Samoa tops list of most expensive royal trips
There are 43 separate journeys by royal family members listed in the official report for 2024/25 where travel costs were at least £17,000, up from 27 in 2023/24. Some 13 of these involved the King, an increase from eight in the previous year. These included the most expensive trip during the period, the 11-day visit by Charles and the Queen to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October 2024, which included engagements in Australia, and which had travel costs totalling £400,535. Charles is King of Australia and the country's government funded half of the flight costs during this major overseas trip. After attending the Commonwealth leaders' summit the King and Queen made a much reported trip to a luxury wellness retreat in Bengaluru in India, which was paid for privately. £400,535 Travel cost of royal trip to Samoa and Australia in October 2024 Sovereign Grant Report 2024-25 The King was also involved in the second most expensive trip on the list, a three-day visit with the Queen to Northern Ireland in March 2025 (£80,139). The third most expensive trip was a visit by the Prince of Wales to Estonia in March 2025, the cost of which included two earlier journeys by staff for planning purposes, and which added up to £55,846 in total. Completing the top five are a two-day trip by the King on the royal train in February 2025 to Staffordshire, to visit the JCB factory in Rocester and the Tower Brewery in Burton upon Trent, which cost £44,822; and a two-day trip by the Duke of Edinburgh to Estonia in January 2025 to visit the Royal Dragoon Guards while on a military operation, which cost £39,791. Of the 13 trips involving the King that appear on the list, eight were undertaken with the Queen and five by himself. In addition to the trips already mentioned, the King's other costs were: – A charter flight with the Queen between royal residences in April 2024 (£21,184); – A two-day trip on the royal train to Crewe in May 2024 (£33,147); – A two-day visit with the Queen to northern France in June 2024 for the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations (£29,890); – A two-day visit with the Queen to the Channel Islands in July 2024 (£28,872); – A charter flight between royal residences in July 2024 (£22,529); – A charter flight with the Queen between royal residences in September 2024 (£20,113); – A second charter flight with the Queen between royal residences in September 2024 (£19,956); – A charter flight between royal residences in October 2024 (£20,619); – A one-day visit to Poland in January 2025 to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust, including a separate visit by staff in December 2024 for planning purposes (£30,232); – And a one-day visit by plane with the Queen to Middlesbrough in February 2025 (£18,394). There are no solo visits by the Queen on the list. Aside from the royal visits to Samoa/Australia, Estonia, Poland and northern France, the only other journeys outside the UK to feature on the list are: – A two-day trip by the Duchess of Edinburgh to Italy in May 2024 to attend military remembrance events (£32,380); – A one-day visit by the Prince of Wales to northern France in June 2024 as part of the D-Day commemorations (£25,696); – A two-day visit by the Princess Royal to the Netherlands in September 2024 for events commemorating the Second World War (£17,327); – A nine-day visit to Nepal by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in February 2025 (£26,028); – A three-day visit to Dresden by the Duke of Kent in February 2025 (£22,332); – And a return flight by the Princess Royal from a meeting of the International Olympics Committee in Kalamata in Greece in March 2025 (£21,440). Aside from the 13 trips on the list that involved either the King or the King and the Queen, 11 were undertaken by the Princess Royal; five by the Duke of Edinburgh; four by the Prince of Wales; three by the Duchess of Edinburgh; three by both the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh; two by the Duke of Kent; one by the Duchess of Gloucester; and one by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
British monarchy will receive around $118 million in government funding, annual report shows
The British Royal Household released its financial statement on Monday, revealing that the annual lump sum from the government remained at £86.3 million ($118.50 million). The sum, called the Sovereign Grant, pays for the upkeep of royal palaces and the royals' official duties and is funded by British taxpayer money. In return, the monarch hands over all profits from the Crown Estate — which includes vast swathes of central London property, the Ascot Racecourse and the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland — to the government, in an arrangement dating back to 1760. The Sovereign Grant functions like an expense account for the monarch and their representatives, covering the costs of their public duties, including travel, staff, and upkeep of historic properties. Notably, it excludes funding for security, which also incurs a high cost given the royals' numerous public engagements and events. Royal family members undertook more than '1,900 public engagements in the UK and overseas, while more than 93,000 guests attended 828 events at Official Royal Palaces,' the annual Sovereign Grant Report said. The total grant of £86.3 million ($118.50 million), which by law remains the same as the three previous financial years, is comprised of a £51.8 million ($71.1 million), core grant and £34.5 million ($47.4 million) to fund the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace, a top tourist attraction in central London, is undergoing a major modernization project that will see upgrades to electric cabling, pipework, elevators and accessible bathrooms. The royal family will decommission the royal train 'following a thorough review into its use and value for money,' according to the accounts report. The monarchy has been using its own rail travel since Queen Victoria first boarded a specially built carriage from Slough, England, to London Paddington Station in 1842. The report also said the Royal Household will increase its use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and continue the electrification of its fleet of vehicles. Last year, the Royal Household announced it aimed to transition to an 'almost fully electric' fleet of vehicles, without providing a target date. Britain's PA Media reported that the King's two Bentleys would be modified to run on biofuel. The royal family's three main sources of income are the Sovereign Grant, the Duchy of Lancaster and Duchy of Cornwall estates and their personal property and investments. The level of funding for the British royal family has long fueled criticism, with one anti-monarchy group calling for the Sovereign Grant to be abolished and for the British public to keep all the profits of the Crown Estate. 'The grant system is mad. Funding goes up not because of any need for extra money, but because the grant is linked to government profits from land managed by the Crown Estate,' Graham Smith, a campaigner for the group Republic, said in a statement earlier this year. 'The palace has recycled the excuse of needing the money for refurbishment of Buckingham Palace, an excuse used to double the grant ten years ago.' 'It's time that half a billion pounds was put to good use, that there was proper accounting for the cost of the monarchy and for that cost to be slashed to just a few million pounds,' Smith added. The Keeper of the Privy Purse, James Chalmers, said in a statement on Monday as the report was released: 'Soft power is hard to measure but its value is, I believe, now firmly understood at home and abroad, as the core themes of the new reign have come into even sharper focus, and the Royal Family have continued in their service to the nation, Realms and Commonwealth.'
