Bath & North East Somerset Council allocated £12,600 towards hosting Queen Camilla last month, as revealed by a freedom of information request filed by campaigners.
The Queen graced the city in February to commemorate the 850th anniversary of St John's Foundation, a charity dedicated to improving lives in Bath and its vicinity, of which she has been a patron since 2009.
During her visit, Her Majesty engaged in tea sessions with residents of the charity's historic almshouses before proceeding to Bath Abbey. There, she was greeted by nearly 900 schoolchildren from seven primary schools supported by the charity, participating in the unveiling of a commemorative plaque.
However, critics have highlighted the financial burden placed on local taxpayers by the event.
Danni Wayne Rawlings, a volunteer with Republic, a campaign group advocating for an elected head of state to replace the monarchy, uncovered the council's expenditure through a freedom of information request.
Bath & North East Somerset Council allocated £4,956.93 towards council services, covering events, emergency planning, CCTV, highways, parking, communications, cleansing, and heritage services. Additionally, £7,646.85 was spent on officer time, totaling £12,603.78 in expenses for the local council.
Council leader Kevin Guy expressed pride in hosting Her Majesty, stating, "We were very proud to see Her Majesty The Queen in Bath for the 850th anniversary of St John's Foundation. The Royal Family will always receive a warm welcome in the city of Bath."
However, Mr. Rawlings raised concerns about the allocation of funds, particularly in light of budget constraints faced by schools and other essential services. He argued that the significant expenditure on an unelected head of state could not be justified.
While Bath boasts a rich history with the royal family, including King Edgar's coronation at Bath Abbey in 973, recent times have seen financial challenges for the city. Bath & North East Somerset Council has implemented budget cuts, including reductions in funding for charities assisting vulnerable individuals and the introduction of parking charges in certain areas like Midsomer Norton and Radstock. Photo by Ytfc23, Wikimedia commons.