King Charles faced with tough questions as heckler asks him why his family costs taxpayers ‘half a billion pounds a year’

King Charles recently found himself facing a rather awkward situation after a heckler confronted him about his family’s cost to the British taxpayer.

The tense moment came during an otherwise relaxed visit to Newmarket, a quiet town in West Suffolk. A heckler in the crowd called out to the King, asking him “Why does your family cost us half a billion pounds a year, Charles?” The monarch gave a rather diplomatic response, simply saying “ah, yes” before moving on. In fairness to the King, it’s probably not the best place to have a debate about taxes and such.

The whole interaction was caught on video and posted to X by The National. While the hecklers are never seen on camera they can be heard loud and clear.

The hecklers don’t let Charles off the hook

Later on in the clip the heckler can be heard shouting again as he asks the King, “Why do you only pay your gardeners minimum wage?” This comment is in reference to recent comments from former employees who worked in the Highgrove estate. 

According to reports, 11 out of the 12 staffers on the gardening team left their roles in what’s been described as a mass exodus. The complaints against Charles from staff included low staff morale, injuries, and low pay. It seems the hecklers have certainly done their research. Regardless, the King did not give a response to the second question.

Another heckler, this time a woman, can also be heard asking Charles, “Do you think it’s fair we pay £27 million a year from the Duchy of Lancaster?” The Duchy of Lancaster is a private estate which generates revenue for the sovereign who owns it, in this case, King Charles. The estate has been around for hundreds of years.

It’s unclear whether or not Charles gave a response to the woman’s question, if he does, it’s not audible in the video. As Charles walks away the original heckler can be heard saying, “God bless, your majesty,” although something tells me he meant that he wasn’t being genuine.

The response online

Responding to the video on X, many agreed with the hecklers, one person wrote that Charles, “Doesn’t care a jot,” and that “They’re laughing at us.” Others mocked the people who showed support for the King in the video, calling them “bootlickers.” Of course, there were a few who called out the hecklers, one individual suggested they “be arrested for disrespect to Head of state,” while another claimed Charles, “Dealt with it brilliantly.”

The King’s response was pretty standard as he and the rest of his family usually avoid engaging with royal dissenters, (at least publicly). The hecklers represent a growing group that are increasingly becoming less tolerant of the royal institution as they believe the whole family benefit from the taxation of working people while not really offering much in return.