Royal Train to Retire After 156 Years as King Charles III Seeks Cost Savings

The Royal Train, a British royal icon dating back to Queen Victoria’s time, will be retired before 2027, according to a report published by The Associated Press.

A Bittersweet Goodbye to a Royal Icon

Buckingham Palace confirmed on Monday that King Charles III has decided to retire the train in a bid to drive down costs and streamline royal operations, the report said.

“In going forward, we must not be held back by the past,” James Chalmers, the palace official in charge of royal finances, said according to the news agency. “Just as so many aspects of the royal household’s work have modernized and evolved to suit the world today, so too the time has come to say goodbye to the fondest of farewells, as we strive to be disciplined and forward-thinking in our budget allocation.”

Key Facts About the Royal Train 

• Commissioned in 1869 by Queen Victoria, the Royal Train has been used by monarchs for over 150 years. 
• Comprising nine railcars coupled to commercial locomotives, it would have had to undergo extensive upgrading to live up to contemporary rail standards.

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Buckingham Palace’s Budget in the Spotlight

The announcement was made at Buckingham Palace’s yearly financial briefing. According to the report, the royal family will be paid £86.3 million ($118 million) in taxpayer dollars for the fourth consecutive year as part of the Sovereign Grant. Of that, £34.5 million will go toward ongoing work on Buckingham Palace.

While the grant has remained level for years, its value has been diminished by inflation. The palace stated it would be approximately £106 million today if the estimates were made while factoring in inflation.

The Function of the Monarchy Today

To go along with the Sovereign Grant, £21.5 million came from royal property income, increased by a record number of tourist visits, the report further said, adding that the palace saw 1,900 royal engagements, 828 events, and 93,000 visitors in the previous year.

Stressing that the monarchy continues to provide worth, Craig Prescott, a constitutional law specialist at Royal Holloway, University of London, said that it is “something that puts Britain on the world stage in a way that few other things do,” as reported by the AP.

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