Explained | Harry & Meghan: Why King Charles III's coronation is a waste of money

Like all other monarchies, it has been proved that the British family is like a parasite to their own country. The Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla promises to be a display of pomp and pageantry that will celebrate the start of the new monarch’s reign. But when Britain is languishing and the economic condition is in doldrums it is highly insensitive on the part of Charles to have a Coronation. And with public purse strings continuing to be tightened, it is questionable whether an event of such extravagance and cost is appropriate. The Royal family of Britain is like an unproductive consumer, feeding not only on Britain’s resources, but also the global resources. The Royal family needs to understand that the Coronation of Charles and Camilla comes at a time when the cost of living crisis continues to tighten its grip on people’s finances.

King Charles’ Coronation is set to take place in May, with a concert being held at Windsor Castle to celebrate the occasion. A bumper bank holiday weekend is planned that includes the Coronation ceremony itself, a star-studded concert at Windsor Castle and a day of volunteering. But with less than three months to go until the historic event, King Charles III’s coronation is proving controversial and could spark a backlash with the public.

According to The New York Times report, Inflation is in double digits, and the recession — the worst of all Group of 7 countries — is expected to last deep into 2024. The National Health Service is on life support, public transport is sputtering, and post-Brexit worker shortages are widespread. Homeowners face soaring mortgage rates, renters are subject to no-fault evictions, and millions can’t afford to heat their homes. Food banks, which barely existed a decade ago, are at breaking point, and 14.5 million people are in poverty.

Cost of the Charles III’s Coronation ceremony

Bumper cost of Charles’ coronation. But is Britain ready for it is the question? According to the Mirror report, the Coronation of Charles and Camilla comes at a time when the cost of living crisis continues to tighten its grip on people’s finances. The UK has just narrowly avoided entering a financial recession with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt warning the country is still not “out of the woods” when it comes to the economy.

The ceremony will be shorter than the late Queen’s Coronation and will also have a much smaller guest list. But the cost of the ceremony coupled with an extra bank holiday for the country on Monday, May 8 could run into millions. In fact, according to a previous report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, each UK bank holiday costs the country £2.3 billion.

However, conversely, the Coronation is also believed to be a boost for the economy – especially the London tourism sector. Accommodation search website Trivago revealed that London hotels have ramped up their prices by nearly two-thirds for the King’s coronation. And a consultancy firm, which provides an annual report on the estimated total value of the Monarchy, has estimated that the Coronation will drive an extra £1billion for the UK economy, reports the Express.

Nobody wants to attend King Charles’ Coronation

As republican sentiment grows, Kylie Minogue has become the latest in a string of stars to turn down the opportunity to perform at King Charles’ Coronation. However, the line-up has been reportedly plagued with declined requests as Kylie Minogue also turned down the offer. The singer’s representatives confirmed to Express.co.uk: “Kylie unfortunately won’t be able to perform at The Coronation as she will be out of the country at that time.”

One big controversial question mark that hangs over the Coronation guest list is will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attendance. Reports suggest that they have been invited to the historic event – but there is no indication of whether they will attend or snub the event. Since taking the throne in September, much attention has been focused on the King’s relationship with his younger son and daughter-in-law.

In December in their Netflix docu-series Harry & Meghan, the couple levelled several criticisms against the monarchy, with Harry even accusing his dad of lying at the so-called Sandringham Summit in January 2020. And last month, there were even more attacks on the royals in Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare. Among the claims made in the book was that he and Prince William pleaded with Charles not to marry Camilla.

During an interview with Tom Bradby on ITV earlier this month, Harry was asked if he will come to the coronation if he is invited, and he said: “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. “But, you know, the door is always open. The ball is in their court.”

(With added inputs from agencies)

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