Over 100,000 people have now signed an online petition demanding that the Royal Family pay for the Buckingham Palace restoration work, not the British taxpayer.
The petition was created a couple of days ago after it was announced that Buckingham Palace was to undergo a ten-year restoration project that would cost £369 million.
The funding for this project will come from the Sovereign’s Grant, which is funded by the UK taxpayer for the monarchy’s official duties.
The person who set up the petition, Mark Johnson, said: “There is a national housing crisis, the NHS is in crisis, austerity is forcing cuts in many front line services.
“Now the Royals expect us to dig deeper to refurbish Buckingham Palace. The Crown’s wealth is inestimable. This is, in a word, outrageous.”
Politicians have also been wading into the debate with Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell saying that The Queen should “consider” contributing to the cost of repairs.
Mr McDonnell, who has frequently expressed anti-monarchy views over the years, added that in return for the restoration work, it would be a “nice touch” if Buckingham Palace was open to the taxpayer free of charge.
Despite the hefty costs, it is thought once he refurbishments are completed, much more money will be generated into the British economy. This would be through longer summer opening hours, more private tours and savings from maintenance work the palace currently has to spend.
A statement from the Palace said: “The estimated capital cost of £369m will be funded by a temporary uplift in the Sovereign Grant , from 15% to 25% of Crown Estate net income, as recommended by the Royal Trustees in their Review of the Sovereign Grant, published today.
“This figure will be reduced to £222m once benefits, efficiencies and inflation adjustments are taken into account.”
The works are being carried out because of ageing cables, lead pipes, wiring and boilers that are of a substantial risk of starting a fire owing to their age. The government, nor indeed anybody, wants a repeat of the 1992 fire that gutted Windsor Castle.
if Buckingham Palace was The Queen’s private residence I would agree with their petition, but it isn’t. It belongs to the people like the White House belongs to the American people.
If Buckingham Palace belongs to the British people, then you should be upset you have to pay so much to have something of yours restorated. I would be if the White House had to be restorated. I hope this doesn’t give Trump any ideas, because if it does, I’m heading North to Canada.
start packing now, need help??
The West and East Wings of the White House are already undergoing a similar restoration. The Executive Mansion portion already underwent a similar restoration in the late 1940s, around the same time that Buckingham Palace did, and it’s approaching the point when the utilities, basically same as Buckingham Palace, need updating too.
The petition is misguided and based on envy. Buckingham Palace is an historic public building owned by the state and it has the responsibility to fund this essential work just like any other state or government building.
One can only agree with comments made by Eloise Jackson Howell posted below like the White House in the United States Of America the White house represents The President and their people. there is no difference between The White House and Buckingham Palace they both belong to the people . Nobody likes to pay for someone else living in the white House or the Palace but one should not expect the head of a nation to live elsewhere but realize what makes their country strong is the person like the President of the United States or the Queen of Great Britain and its commonwealth.
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That’s it. I’m out of here. Royal Central ought to rename this site with Disloyal Central.
Buckingham Palace belongs to the British public. The person that started this petition is ignorant of the facts, as is everybody that signed it!
People should read up on things before they do things to avoid looking thick.
To all the people that are saying it belongs the public…. You don’t really believe that tripe do you? Have you tried wandering in there? Is it open to house the homeless? I don’t think so.
I’d rather have my hard earned tax money go on this than to freeloading economic refugees coming over here to have an easy life.
Are you for real? What does the queen do, exactly? (Other than freeload and have an easy life, of course).
She and her family are THE BIGGEST benefit scroungers the world has EVER seen.