Monarch responds calmly to awkward questions while stepping out with Queen Camilla
King Charles III faced an unexpected moment during a recent walkabout in Newmarket alongside Queen Camilla, as a member of the public confronted him with tough questions about the royal family's finances.
The 76-year-old monarch, who continues to carry out his royal duties while undergoing cancer treatment, was stopped in his tracks when a heckler shouted from the crowd, “Why does your family cost us half a billion pounds a year, Charles?”
In a moment captured on video and widely shared on social media platform
The incident echoes rising concerns about royal expenditure. In 2023, anti-monarchy campaign group Republic published a report claiming the royal family costs UK taxpayers around $688 million annually—a figure they argue far exceeds what is covered by the Sovereign Grant, the official funding provided by the government for royal duties.
The heckler wasn't finished, however, and followed up with another pointed remark: “Why do you only pay your gardeners minimum wage?”—a reference to recent claims reported by The Sunday Times. The article revealed that 11 of the 12 gardeners at Highgrove House, the King's Gloucestershire residence, have left their positions since 2022, reportedly due to low wages and heavy workloads.
Despite the tense moment, King Charles remained composed, choosing not to engage further. While the monarchy continues to enjoy widespread public support, moments like these highlight growing scrutiny over the royal family's financial transparency and internal operations.
