Campaigners have raised serious concerns about royal finances as the palace releases it's official figures for 2025-2026.
 
The reports released today show that the grant will again rise in 2026, by around £5m. Next year it will be reset to £100m, representing a 222.5% increase on the grant over fifteen years (which was £31m in 2012).
 
The official report ignores the swathes of extra costs that put the total bill at well over half a billion pounds a year.
 
The huge increase in the grant compares to a 12% increase per head for primary schools, a fall of 3% per head for secondary schools and 3.8% annual growth for defence. All during a decade and a half of cuts, covid and cost of living crisis. Wages growth is less than 1%.
 
Campaign group Republic has also challenged Charles to declare his full income and explain the detail of his tax.
 
He claims to be in the top 100 taxpayers, but it is unclear what tax he is including in that figure, or the total income he receives and pays tax on. It remains impossible to judge if he is paying the correct rate of tax.
 
Speaking for Republic, CEO Graham Smith said today:
 
"Another hike for Charles, more spin and gloss and more misdirection on taxes. This is the way with royal reporting, the more they reveal the more questions are raised."
 
"If Charles doesn't say what his income is, we have no idea if he is paying the top rate of tax, as he should be."
 
"The report talks about Charles's total tax bill, but is it including VAT, as they have done in previous years?"
 
"The royals continue to ignore other huge costs, including the loss of assets and profits from the Duchies, which means the bill for the taxpayer is well over half a billion pounds."
 
"Despite ongoing concerns about the huge cost of the royals, the grant will remain hugely inflated on its initial level of £31m in 2012. If that had risen by inflation the grant would stand at £45m, not £100m."
 
"The government agreed to spent £369m on refurbishing Buckingham Palace, and now Charles doesn't want to use it. But he'll keep it under lock and key for when he does. Clearly the palace needs to be fully open to the public all year round."
 
"Royal finances are out of control, and parliament needs to act to slash the annual budget to below £10m."
 
 
Republic report on Half Billion Pound Royals: https://www.republic.org.uk/halfbillionroyals
Republic report on the Duchies: https://www.republic.org.uk/duchies
House of Commons report on military spending: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8175/