Labour peer Lord George Foulkes has criticised the £99.9m Sovereign Grant set to be handed to King Charles in 2027-28, saying most working royals do no "real work" and the monarchy offers poor value for money.
Speaking in the House of Lords, the former Cabinet minister and Scotland Secretary said: "While European neighbours have streamlined their monarchies, we continue to fund a sprawling network of so-called working royals."
'Not real work'
Lord Foulkes said: "Working royals - this ribbon-cutting duties of pulling open a slate, a tableau. That is not real work, not like a teacher who works five days a week, or a nurse in a geriatric hospital might be working a 12-hour shift. It's not real work that they do."
He singled out Princess Anne as a "notable exception", stating: "Perhaps that's an example that other members of the royal family might think about."
Sovereign Grant increase
The £99.9m settlement is down from £137.9m because a decade-long, £369m refurbishment of Buckingham Palace is finished. But the sum is three times the £31m awarded when the Sovereign Grant was created by George Osborne in 2012/13.
Lord Foulkes said: "At a time where sadly we know many of the people in this country face severe pressure on their household budgets, we here have a duty to ask two fundamental questions. First of all, are we getting value for money? And secondly, do the actions of the institution match the values that it preaches?"
He added: "I would argue that in both cases, the answer is no. We hear glorious announcements on climate change, yet official reports reveal hundreds of private jet and helicopter flights for short domestic trips - one recently to the races, where the royal concerned could have easily gone by car."
Travel and spending
In the year to March 31, the royal annual financial report showed £5.1m was spent on travel, £33.7m on payroll and £3.5m on housekeeping and hospitality. Property maintenance totalled £67.5m.
Nearly £127,000 was spent on travel for the King and Queen to make an official visit to Rome last April. Documents show £733,000 was spent on 177 helicopter flights over 12 months, and 60 charter flights cost £837,000 in that time.
Fellow Labour peer Lord Prem Sikka said: "Under this bill, the core funding of the Royal Household — that is, after ignoring the money allocated for refurbishment of Buckingham Palace — rises from £51.8m for 2024–25 to £99.9m for 2027–28."
He said: "That is an increase of 97%. I'm not aware of any ordinary household that has secured an increase of this magnitude in its income to discharge its essential duties."
Lord Sikka added: "The average real wage of workers has barely changed since 2008. Some 25.3 million people live below the minimum income standard. Around 300,000 people a year are dying while waiting for NHS hospital appointments. But here we are giving away a large chunk of money. This massive increase is being given to a family which, according to Forbes magazine, could be worth £21billion."
Government defends grant
Treasury minister Lord David Pitt-Watson told the House that the settlement is justified. He said: "The Sovereign Grant supports the monarch's official duties, so it funds the staff, the official travel, the property maintenance, the essential services required for the sovereign to fulfil their unique constitutional role.
"That role, it extends beyond ceremonial functions; it includes hosting heads of state, supporting diplomatic engagement, representing the United Kingdom overseas, and strengthening our relationships across the Commonwealth and the world. These activities support UK interests, including trade, investment, security, and diplomacy. At home, the grant supports the sovereign's significant role, from recognizing charitable and voluntary service to bringing communities together across the United Kingdom. I would also note that with a new and younger monarch, there have been more activities than in the immediate past."
He added: "The grant level provided for by this bill therefore ensures value for money for taxpayers and that the Royal Household can continue to discharge its functions effectively. In conclusion, then, I think this bill delivers a fair and proportionate funding settlement."
