Cost Of King Charles’ Coronation? Just £150 Million Needed For Security
King Charles’ coronation is set to cost around £250 million as a huge security operation will be underway at the historic ceremony.
Around £150 million of the total will be required to fund the deployment of police officers and protection squads, while the remaining costs will be given for staging the ceremony and three days of celebrations, several reports claimed.
In contrast, the cost of staging Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 was £1.57 million. Security threats and domestic protests resulted in the hike of the costs from for the event- far above previous estimates of £100 million.
For the ceremony, a special air traffic control schedule has been drawn up for dignitaries flying in and landing spots will have tightened security amid concerns that climate change protests would aim to disrupt private jet arrivals.
A large operation to prevent activists from stopping the event is also in place. It will include snipers on rooftops, huge numbers of armed officers and police drones monitoring crowds. Special Forces will also be on standby as part of the UK Counter Terrorism Defence Mechanism, with Blue Thunder 2 helicopters poised.
“Security alone will be up to £150million, possibly more. It’s a crazy sum, but this is one of the biggest public events in recent history. Thousands are involved – many working overtime. Just getting dignitaries into the country and to their accommodation is a hell of an operation in itself. They will mostly be taken by police escort from the airfields,” The Mirror reported.
Security expert Mark Scoular – a tactical commander for the weddings of Prince William and Prince Harry – said, “£150million is a lot, but I think the final sum could be a lot more, because the work that goes into an event like this is monstrous. On Coronation Day itself, there will be entire CBRN – chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear – units across London. There will be ammunition technical officers, firearms units will be doubled up, the public order officers on duty will be staggering. As part of the UK preparedness strategy, the ambulance service will quadruple their efforts, the fire and rescue service will redouble their efforts. The number working on intelligence will be monumental.