King Charles III's coronation is just around the corner, with celebrations being held across the country this bank holiday weekend. But just how much is His Majesty's coronation going to cost the UK, and who will be paying the bill?
As the nation gears up for an historic couple of days, join HELLO! as we explore everything we know so far about the cost of King Charles' coronation.
How much will the coronation cost the UK?
An official budget for the coronation has not been made public. However, according to The Sun, those behind Operation Golden Orb – aka King Charles III's coronation – have estimated that the cost of the King's coronation weekend is likely to cost the UK £100million.
Other suggestions have placed the cost even higher, with The Mirror reporting the price tag may reach £250million due to the high cost of security. However, it is also possible that attempts to minimize the cost of the long weekend for taxpayers through the "slimmed-down event" will lead to the celebrations coming short of the £100million prediction.
Information regarding the cost of the coronation will not be available until several months after the event, and even then, an exact figure may not be released. Each year the royal household publishes a financial report detailing its expenditure which all are free to read. However, this report is not due until June 2023.
Who pays for the coronation?
The cost of the coronation will be covered by the UK Government because it is classified as a state event. All funds will therefore eventually be coming from the taxpayer. As The Times reports, if the estimated cost of £100million is to be believed, then this would come to a cost of just £1.50 per citizen.
DISCOVER: The six ancient traditions of King Charles' coronation revealed
But despite the apparent low cost per head, controversy has surrounded the decision to spend this amount of taxpayers money on a ceremonial event, especially in the light of the UK's current cost of living crisis. In April 2023, a YouGov poll reported that 51% of Britons do not believe the event should be funded by the taxpayer, compared to 32% who said that they thought it should. Others surveyed said that they didn't know.
How much did Queen Elizabeth II's coronation cost?
In 1953, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II cost the British taxpayer a reported £1.57million – however figures vary, with other estimates suggesting it cost under a million pounds.
MORE: 10 incredible photos from the Queen's Coronation in 1953
Taking the larger estimate and adjusting it to reflect today's money, Elizabeth II's coronation cost the British taxpayer around £56million pounds. This figure remains substantially less than Charles' expected coronation spend, but this is likely as a result of the amount of money now needed for security at these events, the equivalent of which was not the case 70 years ago.
Enjoyed this story? Sign up to our Royal Explainer to receive early access to our Coronation Daily special newsletter every Monday to Friday.