Buckingham Palace responds to criticism regarding King Charles’ £20,000 Royal Train journey

• The cost of the monarch’s visit will be revealed later this year.
• Similar Royal Train journeys have cost more than £20,000 in the past.
• Three trips on the Royal Train by Her Majesty and then-Prince Charles cost £100,000.

Buckingham Palace has defended King Charles for taking the expensive Royal Train to Manchester this morning, despite his vow to slim the monarchy and cut spending.

The cost of the monarch’s visit will be revealed when the Royal Finances are published later this year, but similar Royal Train journeys have cost more than £20,000 in the past.

The Sovereign Grant Report from June of last year revealed that three trips on the Royal Train by the late Queen Elizabeth and then-Prince Charles cost £100,000.

Her Majesty took the royal train from Windsor to Manchester in July 2021 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Coronation Street and the 600th anniversary of Manchester Cathedral, which cost £42,452.

The train was used twice by Prince Charles, with a trip from Stonehaven to Newcastle, Durham, and back to Windsor costing £42,450.

Buckingham Palace told reputed Media outlet after the King travelled to Manchester on the Royal Train this morning that it considers “security, time, and cost” when making travel decisions.

Palace spokesperson Amanda Foster said: “Security, a need to minimise disruption for others, time and cost are just some of the factors to take into account when travel decisions are made.”

The monarch travelled overnight from Ayr in Scotland, near the 18th-century property Dumfries House, which is part of The Prince’s Foundation.

A group of local dignitaries greeted Charles as he stepped off the locomotive in Manchester, and he appeared relaxed.

The royal family has had its own train since the Victorian era, with the current royal carriages entering service for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977.

Today, the King also paid a visit to the world’s largest Corn Flakes factory, where he joked that he was a year late for Kellogg’s 100th anniversary in the United Kingdom.

Charles was at the Kellogg’s plant in Manchester, which produces breakfast favourites such as Corn Flakes, Frosties, Rice Krispies, Crunchy Nut, and Coco Pops.

Last year, Kellogg’s celebrated its 100th anniversary in the United Kingdom, with Corn Flakes and All-Bran first introduced to the British public in 1922.

“Sorry I’m a year late,” Charles said as he unveiled a plaque commemorating his visit and celebrating 100 years of “bringing breakfast to Britain.”

During his visit to the plant, which employs just under 400 people, Charles toured the culinary centre, a new research and development hub, where he saw cooking demonstrations and samples of the cereals on offer.

As he stood in front of a strawberry and white chocolate version of the cereal, he learned about efforts to reduce salt and sugar content and inquired about the popularity of Coco Pops.

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