SIR – Accounts recently released by Buckingham Palace announce that royal spending increased by £200,000 last year while the UK public sector has been asked to make cuts in education, healthcare, policing and other essential services.

The rise included an expensive flight for Prince Charles to Kuwait and Qatar last autumn costing nearly £500,00 alone which has triggered public protests around the country with demonstrators raising awareness of royal expenses.

The protests coincide with new research released by lobbyist group Republic.org.uk which reveals that, when hidden costs are taken into account – the total cost of the monarchy is likely to be in excess of £200 million, meaning taxpayers spend more than 30 times more on a working royal than on a serving soldier in Afghanistan.

The days when the British taxpayer puts up with spending 30 times more on members of royalty than soldiers on the front line must surely be coming to an end.

The true cost of the monarchy is more than £200 million each year.

The accountants and PR specialists at the palace know this. It really is time they thought about coming clean about the true cost.

When the Queen leaves office, we have to decide whether Charles and Camilla should ascend to the throne or if we should democratically elect our next head of state.

Until then, all costs of maintaining royalty should be properly scrutinised and trimmed accordingly, like any other public office.

MAT WITTS
South West Midlands Group