WASHINGTON — The British public will be footing the bill for the first coronation to take place in the country since Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953.
While Charles has said he plans to slim down the monarchy — and his coronation is expected to reflect that with a ceremony much shorter than his mother's three-hour extravaganza — the festivities still come with a hefty price tag.
How much does the King's coronation cost?
While there has been no official word on the expected total cost, some predictions suggest the weekend events could cost between 50 and 100 million pounds ($125 million). According to Sky News, the last coronation cost roughly 20.5 million pounds in today's money, while George VI's coronation in 1937 would've totaled nearly 25 million pounds in the present day.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said Tuesday that some estimates were “more fanciful than others” and that the true cost would be shared later.
Unlike royal weddings, the bill for the coronation is paid by the British government. A recent poll from YouGov found about 51% of British adults think it shouldn't be publicly funded.
The celebration comes as the U.K. weathers a bruising cost-of-living crisis that left many struggling to heat their homes this winter and put food on their tables.
But plenty of people stand to profit from the hoopla.
Officials are expecting to see a tourism boost and there is no shortage of coronation-themed events and commemorative products that could ring up additional sales taxes.
Fans looking to remember the historic event can find everything from fine china to souvenir coins or even cardboard masks of Charles and Camilla. Coronation themed biscuits, chocolates and beers are likely to be quickly forgotten.
