The Royal Train, which has been used by British monarchs since the time of Queen Victoria, will be retired. This decision was made by King Charles III as part of a policy to modernize the monarchy and cut costs, The Guardian reports.
The train's carriages, built in the 1980s, need updating, but instead the Palace decided to bet on two new fuel-efficient rotorcraft. Palace spokesman James Chalmers called the train "a beloved symbol of the past", but admitted: it is time to move on.
Other changes include converting the Royal Bentley to biofuel, plans for electric cars and the refusal of the County of Cornwall (which finances Prince William) to pay rent for some charitable projects. These steps were a response to the scandal over the duchy's contracts with government agencies, including the army and the NHS.
At the same time, it is worth noting that the funding of the monarchy is not yet being reduced: in 2024-2025, the amount of the Sovereign Grant will remain at GBP 86.3 million. But from 2025 it will increase to GBP 132 million per year - partly due to record profits from offshore wind farms owned by the Crown (GBP 1.1 billion), as well as to complete a large-scale restoration of Buckingham Palace. The total cost of the project is GBP 369 million.
As previously reported, this year King Charles and Queen Camilla celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.
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