In the UK, King Charles III has faced criticism over the expensive cost of his coronation, according to The Guardian.

The coronation ceremony, held in May of last year, cost British taxpayers at least £72 million (9.4 billion rubles), according to official data. The cost of security was £21.7 million (2.8 billion rubles), while the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spent an additional £50.3 million (6.5 billion rubles) on the event’s organization.

Around 20 million viewers watched the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey. High-ranking officials from around the world attended the ceremony, and the following evening, a concert featuring pop stars was held at Windsor Castle. The department’s annual report, which worked with the royal family on the coronation’s organization, stated that «the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, which was enjoyed by millions of people both in the UK and around the world, was a success.» However, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 was watched by 29 million Britons — 9 million more than the subsequent coronation.

The organization Republic, which advocates for replacing the monarchy with an elected head of state and a more democratic political system, has called the coronation an «obscene» use of taxpayers’ money.

«I would be very surprised if £72 million is all the costs,» said Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, in an interview with The Guardian. He and other critics believe that the actual cost of the coronation was between £100 million and £250 million (13 to 32.6 billion rubles).