While visiting Suffolk this week, King Charles III gave an unexpectedly brief reply when confronted by a member of the public about the royal family’s cost to taxpayers.
The 76-year-old monarch was joined by Queen Camilla on July 22, as they toured the town of Newmarket. The royal couple visited The National Stud and several racecourses near Cambridge, engaging with representatives from various horse racing charities.
A Question from the Crowd
Earlier in the day, while walking along Newmarket High Street en route to meet Ipswich Town CEO Mark Ashton, the King and Queen stopped to greet members of the public.
As Charles made his way past the crowd, one man loudly asked: “Why does your family cost us half a billion pounds a year, Charles?”
The King, barely breaking stride, replied with just two words: “Ah, yes,” and continued along the line of well-wishers.
The same individual followed up with another question: “Why do you only pay your gardeners minimum wage?”
But by then, Charles had moved on and was engaged with someone else, likely not hearing the second comment.
In a separate moment captured on video, a woman was heard shouting: “Do you think it’s fair we pay you £27 million a year from the Duchy of Lancaster?”
Again, there was no response from the King, who kept walking and did not visibly acknowledge the remark.
Social Media Reactions to the Exchange
The footage, shared by The Scot and later posted on Instagram, quickly drew attention. One commenter wrote: “This response is unintentionally hilarious…”
Another added: “‘Ah yes’ – omg he admitted it.”
A third user offered a more balanced take: “I’m not a fan of the royal family personally, but let’s be fair – the UK monarchy actually brings in a lot of money through tourism and global attention.”
Others echoed similar sentiments, with one saying: “I’m no royalist, but I know they generate more income for the country than they cost.”
Over on Twitter, a user joked: “Hats off to this man who queued patiently so he could ask Charles a few pointed questions to his face!”
Another chimed in: “Look at him shuffling along. AVOIDANCE ALERT.”
The Royal Finances in Context
The public questioning came shortly after the release of the Sovereign Grant Report, which outlines the monarchy’s annual spending.
Under the Sovereign Grant Act 2011, the UK Government allocates funds to support the King’s official duties, including travel, staff, and engagements.
For 2024–2025, that amount was £86 million. However, the latest financial records show the sum will rise to £131 million and remain steady through 2026 and 2027.