The Cost of the Coronation; Many say it was too high

By Dana Malcom 

Staff Writer 

#UnitedKingdom, May 10, 2023 – As the pomp and ceremony of the first coronation in 71 years fades, many residents in the UK and around the world are now questioning whether the cost for the crowning of Britain’s new king was justified.

The dollar amount has not been revealed by Buckingham Palace but the BBC puts it between $63 – $126 million dollars / $49 – $99 million pounds.

The 2023 coronation of King Charles III was more expensive than the ceremony held in 1953 when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned and that of King George VI, in 1937 who was his grandfather.  Still, millions watched on television, thousands turned out despite drenching rain to see the spectacle in person.

Commentators have said the inflated cost is owing to the need for increased security, but also the massive productions attached to the ceremony which comes as the country languishes in a major cost of living crisis.

More recently, Inflation in the UK was 10.1% in March 2023, the seventh successive month of double-digit inflation and food prices reached 45 year highs. In addition, public sector workers are railing against their working conditions and compensation packages. The largest nurses strike in the UK was carried out in February with hundreds of healthcare and ambulance workers walking off the job as they advocated for inflation adjusted pay.

Railway workers continued the largest instance of industrial action in the country since 1989 in February as well with protracted protests set to spread into May; and in April, passport workers followed suit beginning a weeks long strike, prompted again by disputes over salaries.

A YouGov poll indicated 51 percent of respondents were not pleased with taxpayer money funding the event, only 32 percent agreed with the expense.

The UK is also in the hot seat in the eyes of it’s overseas territories, many of whom are still trying to secure funding for parliament buildings of their own and increased investment in National Security. Those issues will likely be raised at the Joint Ministerial Council to be held in the coming days.

The hope from many residents is that the cost will be justified by the money it brings back into the British economy. Hardcore Royals fans flying in to see the event, and exclusive TV viewing rights are all potential sources of income that could level out the expense. But even if that does happen the optics are still in question for many.

The UK is listed as one of the only countries that still practices this type of lavish coronation ceremony.  Other monarchies either have no coronation process at all or have their royals say their binding oaths before elected representatives to make their royal stature official.

In Denmark, the crown is only displayed at the monarch’s funeral; in Monaco there are no crowns at all.

There are also rows within commonwealth countries about dumping the Royal pomp and pageantry as head of state, migrating to Republic status and former colonies are advocating for reparations given the admissions related to the atrocities of colonization.