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King Charles was indeed set for a major pay rise, much to the dismay of many British citizens struggling with the cost of living crisis. Official figures revealed that the King would see his annual income increase by over 50% to a sum of £45 million per year. This exorbitant pay out was sourced from public funds, including 12% of profits from the Crown Estate that are meant to support the royal family's work.
However, for many ordinary people grappling with skyrocketing bills, this massive pay rise for the King seemed grossly unjustified. It came at a time when basic necessities like food, energy and housing were becoming unaffordable for large segments of the population. The government was repeatedly warning of harder times ahead as inflation continued to surge to unprecedented levels in decades. Yet here was the unelected head of state being granted such a lavish pay increase, funded by the very taxpayers struggling to make ends meet.
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Naturally, the news drew sharp criticism and outrage from anti-monarchists. They argued that at a minimum, the royals should forgo annual pay hikes during an ongoing cost of living crisis afflicting the public. The £45 million being bestowed upon King Charles could have been better spent alleviating pressing issues like the crumbling healthcare system, destitute homelessness on the streets or poverty wages that have not kept pace with inflation. As symbolic figureheads, the royal family should be leading by example through austerity and sharing in the sacrifices of the populace, rather than indulging in greater opulence.
Apart from ordinary citizens, even some physicians and nurses of the National Health Service (NHS) were dismayed. For years they have borne the brunt of a funding-starved public healthcare system, treating patients with inadequate facilities and manpower during the pandemic. Morale remains at a low as staff wages still cannot match increased living costs. The £45 million pay rise for the King is more than what many NHS departments receive in total annual funding. If even a fraction of such lavish royal incomes were redirected to the NHS instead, it could go a long way in alleviating the socialized system's woes.
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However, supporters of the monarchy defended the pay increase. The royal family is said to boost tourism and economic activity, with royal palaces generating hundreds of millions in revenues through ticket sales each year. A portion of these profits from the extensive Crown Estate property holdings go back into the national coffers. As such, retaining a well-funded royal household is viewed as a paid investment. Additionally, the monarchy serves as an important living symbol of British history, diplomacy and soft power projection abroad in an era of declining empire.
But anti-monarchists counter that tangible figures are difficult to substantiate the claim that the royals earn their keep or are worth the vast public money spent annually to maintain their lavish lifestyle. In 2022, the costs are increasingly challenging to justify to taxpayers now struggling with basic costs of living. The royals' work ethic is also questioned - official data revealed they have undertaken fewer public engagements this year compared to previously. Despite performing a light workload, their multi-million pound incomes far exceed salaries of people in much more demanding public sectors like education or emergency services.
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As the winter of discontent looms with even higher bills forecast, the British public's patience is wearing thin with such unwarranted excesses at the top while many experience financial hardship at the bottom. The prospect of a 25% pay rise for Prince William to £23.6 million has also been met with ire, on top of the Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles receiving an added £600,000 annually from the Duchy of Cornwall despite having no official role or responsibilities. All this serves to undermine the claim that the monarchy's primary function is to serve as a symbol of national unity during trying times.
As the cost of living crisis stretches into 2023 with no end in sight, the government and royal family may have to make some difficult choices to safeguard public support for the institution of monarchy. Withdrawing obscene pay increases for royals during severe economic distress would be an important first step to demonstrate shared sacrifice and remain relevant to ordinary citizens. Failing this, republican sentiment threatening the very foundations of the constitutional monarchy may gain further momentum. King Charles' largest ever pay boost risks doing irreparable damage to the long-term legitimacy of 'The Firm' in an increasingly polarised climate.
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