A recent poll conducted for The Mirror has revealed that a majority of British voters want to see a reduction in the amount of public money allocated to the Royal Family. The survey found that 54% of respondents favour cutting the Sovereign Grant, which has increased by nearly £50 million over the past three years.
Sovereign Grant under review
The Sovereign Grant, which funds King Charles III's official duties, is currently under review. The government has pledged to introduce new legislation to lower the grant, and negotiations are ongoing between the Treasury and the royal household. The grant rose to £137.9 million this financial year, up from £132.1 million in 2025/26, and increased by £45.8 million from 2024/25. This surge was partly to fund £369 million in repairs to Buckingham Palace over a decade.
Government and royal responses
A Treasury spokesperson stated: “The next review of the Sovereign Grant is taking place this year. It will ensure that it is set at an appropriate level.” Under the Sovereign Grant Act 2011, the monarch receives a percentage of profits from the Crown Estate. The Royal Trustees—comprising the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Keeper of the Privy Purse—are assessing whether this percentage remains suitable. No decision date has been set.
In March, Treasury Minister Lord Livermore confirmed: “The Government is committed to bringing forward legislation to reset the Grant to a lower level from 2027-28 once Buckingham Palace reservicing works are completed.”
Public opinion on the monarchy
The Deltapoll survey also found that 63% of respondents said their opinion of the Royal Family has remained unchanged since King Charles ascended the throne, while 20% reported a worsened view. The monarch has faced challenges, including allegations involving his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his titles last year and arrested in February over misconduct allegations. He was later released on bail and has denied wrongdoing related to his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
However, King Charles enjoyed a successful state visit to the US, where he received multiple ovations during a speech to Congress and charmed President Donald Trump.
Criticism of royal spending
Public spending on the royals remains contentious. Labour peer Lord George Foulkes commented: “There's a growing concern that when a lot of people are finding the cost of living difficult, when there are a lot of people homeless, when there are a lot of people struggling, you see the royal estates and you see the Queen travelling by a helicopter to a race meeting, it's getting increasingly unacceptable.” He called for a more radical review.
Baroness Margaret Hodge, the government's anti-corruption champion, said: “It's (the Sovereign Grant) run out of time... One would hope that they will come back with something that cuts that, so it reflects what's happening in the rest of Britain.” She urged greater transparency over royal income.
Sovereign Grant expenditure
The Sovereign Grant covers the King's official duties, including staff salaries, travel, and palace maintenance. The latest report for 2023/24 revealed £41.2 million on property maintenance, £4.7 million on travel, £475,000 on 141 helicopter flights, and £80,000 on a charter flight to Belfast and helicopters around Northern Ireland. Salaries for 539 staff were also covered.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson stated: “The Sovereign Grant is reviewed every five years by the Royal Trustees... to ensure the level of funding for the Royal Household remains appropriate to support the official duties of The Sovereign... Each year the Royal Household publishes a report setting out how the Sovereign Grant is spent, and the Sovereign Grant accounts are audited by the National Audit Office.”
The Deltapoll survey was conducted online among 3,353 adults in Great Britain between April 26 and May 1, 2026.
