With King Charles III’s coronation around the corner, not everyone is in the mood to celebrate the £100 million day during the cost of living crisis
On Saturday 6th May King Charles will be crowned the King of England and many areas up and down the country will be hosting their own events.
In Sheffield there is the opportunity to celebrate in the Peace Garden where the coronation will be shown on a giant screen and many street parties around the city will be celebrating in their communities.
However there are also some who are not feeling as joyful. Sheffield pub the Dog and Partridge is hosting a ‘Anti-Coronation Safe space’ and anti coronation debates are set to take place in the city.
This is following the recent economic climate and the coronation rumoured to cost £100 million, arguably some are not willing to sacrifice valuable taxpayer money unless it is crucial.
Tony Taylor, a professor of modern history who specialises in republicanism and anti-monarchism at Sheffield Hallam University, said: ‘I think that issues of finance, personal wealth, a narrow and privileged court, immorality and dysfunctional family relationships haven’t changed as a criticism of the British monarchy, but, perhaps, the context has’.
‘The cost of living crisis amongst other factors mean these issues have become magnified, and there’s consistent polling evidence that shows less enthusiasm and support for the monarchy amongst the young, than amongst older voters’.
With the economy hitting the lowest since the end of the second world war, everyone is feeling the squeeze.
Young people especially are facing a future of uncertainty with losing hope of climbing the property ladder, high rent and a decreasing job market are stripping them of their prospects.
Ben Clinton a Communication Officer for Republic UK said: ‘People are truly struggling in this country, so seeing an out-of-touch aristocracy ringfence more funding for themselves is a real slap in the face’.
‘The Royals have exempted themselves from over 160 laws, avoid tax and take wealth from the Duchies and public purse to add to their own personal fortunes. Plus, on top of all of this, we don’t actually know their true cost to the country’.
‘Factoring in their exemption from FOI requests and the amount of tax revenue we lose from them, the true cost of the royals is possibly much more than the available data suggests’.
With a generational divide it is easy to see how older people who are more likely to have accumulated assets versus a younger generation who don’t, are not as keen on spending on the Royal family.
Research from the BBC says that: ‘While over-65s were the most likely to be supportive of the monarchy at 78%, 18-24 year olds were the least likely. Only 32% backed the monarchy’.
Whilst we can not say if the UK will ever become a republic, it is clear that some do not want a monarch which perhaps historically has not been as widespread.
