The Queen won’t be granted an annual allowance value nearly £360,000 from parliament to fund official duties – regardless of the earlier consort, Prince Philip, being paid the identical sum.
The funding constructions of the Royal Family had been topic to scrutiny by the National Audit Office (NAO) – the UK’s unbiased public spending watchdog.
A report on the royal family’s spending and accountability was printed on Friday as a part of the NAO’s work to enhance transparency.
It instructed the King‘s diary is predicted to be busier than his late mom, Queen Elizabeth II – partly as a result of her scaling again engagements because of the pandemic.
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The monarch might “alter future funding needs in substantial ways” in consequence, the NAO concluded.
The report mentioned: “Parliament provided Prince Philip with a separate annuity worth £359,000 per annum.
“Queen Camilla won’t obtain a separate annuity and the Queen’s actions will probably be funded from the (Sovereign) Grant.”
What is the Sovereign Grant?
The Sovereign Grant is a single grant supporting the monarch’s official enterprise as head of state and covers central employees prices and operating bills of the Royal family – together with official receptions and events.
It additionally funds upkeep of Royal palaces in England and journey prices for engagements and visits.
In trade, the King offers income from the Crown Estate to the federal government.
The Sovereign Grant is calculated primarily based on 25% of the Crown Estate’s annual earnings.
A complete of £86.3m was granted for 2022-2023, the identical because the earlier 12 months.
The Sovereign Grant changed the previous Civil List – which noticed the late Queen given a cost, along with quite a lot of authorities grants, to cowl her official bills – in 2011.
But the late Duke of Edinburgh continued to obtain the £359,000 annuity yearly regardless of the change in the best way the royal household’s actions had been funded by taxpayers.
The new laws included a provision for Philip, who died aged 99 in 2021, to proceed receiving the annuity for his lifetime.
Now, new legal guidelines would must be created to ensure that Camilla to obtain the funding.
The King’s future schedule, which has not but been finalised, is prone to be busier than his late mom’s, with occasions and journey decreased partly because of the COVID pandemic.
“It can reasonably be assumed the King will be hosting more events and travelling to more engagements within the UK and overseas at the request of the government,” the NAO report mentioned.
However, the watchdog instructed there can be ample funds from the Sovereign Grant to pay for any further prices.
In the previous monetary 12 months, the royal family’s complete expenditure for 2023 was £117.3m – of which, £107.5m was funded by the general public.
Millions spent on Buckingham Palace refurbishment
A complete of £369m has been earmarked for a 10-year programme to renovate Buckingham Palace, with greater than £185m spent between 2017 and 2023, the NAO mentioned.
The royal family mentioned the refurbishment, which incorporates upgrading cabling, plumbing and heating, is “on track” and is “not expected to go over budget”.
A price-for-money audit report on the foremost works is because of be printed by the NAO subsequent 12 months.
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Plans for an exterior customer centre have been deserted after it was decided a “more suitable solution” is offered inside Buckingham Palace, the NAO report discovered.
New wind farm offers might enhance the Crown Estate’s coffers by an additional £1bn a 12 months – which might enhance the Sovereign Grant by greater than £100m yearly.
However, the King requested for wind farm earnings for use for the broader public good in January.
Source: information.sky.com”