Direct answer: Estimates of the cost to taxpayers vary depending on what is included, but most widely cited figures center on two main components:
- Sovereign Grant: The official funding that covers the monarchy’s publicly disclosed duties and palace upkeep. For the 2025-26 period this is planned to be about £132 million, up from £86.3 million in the previous year. This grant is often quoted as the central, transparent cost figure to taxpayers.
- Additional costs not included in the Sovereign Grant: Security and policing for royal events and rotations are financed separately by the government and are not published as part of the Sovereign Grant. Estimates for total government-related security and policing costs linked to the royal family are much higher and widely debated, with figures cited in various outlets ranging from a few million to well over £100 million per year in total costs, depending on what is included and how security needs are assessed.
Context and common perspectives:
- Proponents argue the Sovereign Grant represents a modest per-person cost and that the monarchy can provide cultural and tourism value, constitutional stability, and diplomatic soft power benefits. The grant’s value is typically framed as around £1.29 per UK resident when converted to population terms.
- Critics point to hidden or broader costs, noting that the full public expense associated with the monarchy—especially security, royal events, and related policing—can push total annual taxpayer costs well above the Sovereign Grant figures. Some analyses have suggested totals approaching or exceeding £500 million per year when including all indirect costs, though these calculations are contested and depend on methodology.
If you’d like, I can tailor the answer to a specific aspect (only the official Sovereign Grant, or total estimated taxpayer costs including security, or a comparison of 2024-25 vs 2025-26 figures) and provide a concise breakdown with sources.
