Royal 'shake-up'? King Charles III plans to downsize household staff, reports say

Reports indicate that King Charles III is contemplating a substantial reduction in middle-management staff within the Royal Household, with the aim of streamlining operations and increasing efficiency. The King and Queen Camilla are reportedly dissatisfied with what they perceive as an excess of personnel performing similar roles across various royal residences.

Aiming for modernisation and cost efficiency

King Charles has long expressed a desire to modernise the monarchy and optimise the functioning of the Royal Household. He is acutely aware of the financial burden on taxpayers, with the Sovereign Grant costing £86.3 million (10.85 million USD) in 2020-2021. His plan includes trimming the monarchy's size and adopting cost-effective measures, reported the Independent. 

Review of staffing across royal residences

The staff cuts are anticipated to impact "dozens" of employees stationed at Buckingham Palace, Sandringham, Windsor Castle, and Balmoral. The King is reportedly keen on paying competitive wages to a smaller workforce, questioning the necessity of having numerous assistants and duplicative positions. For instance, there are separate kitchen staff for the royals and the supporting staff, a redundancy the King and Queen wish to eliminate.

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Queen Camilla's role in oversight

Queen Camilla is expected to play a pivotal role in supervising these changes. She shares the King's belief that a more streamlined and cost-effective approach should be adopted within the Royal Household. Both are of the opinion that having fewer employees who are well-compensated would be more efficient.

Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, the Master of the Household, is likely to oversee the restructuring of staff. The goal is not simply to make cuts but to ensure that every member of the payroll offers optimal value. This process aims to balance quality and cost-effectiveness.

King Charles's journey toward a more compact monarchy commenced with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's eviction from Frogmore Cottage, their UK residence. This decision was part of the King's broader plan to phase out subsidised rents for royal family members over the next five years, impacting working royals like the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

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Mixed views on downsizing

King Charles's vision of a smaller monarchy, consisting of himself, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is met with varying opinions. His sister, Princess Anne, defended the monarchy's modern relevance and expressed reservations about further downsizing.

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