King Charles experienced a tense moment during his recent walkabout in Suffolk, as a bold question from a member of the public momentarily disrupted an otherwise warm royal visit.
The monarch, accompanied by Queen Camilla, had been enjoying a day in Newmarket on Wednesday, where the couple visited the historic Jockey Club Rooms and toured the National Stud.
They later greeted the crowds that had gathered in the town centre more than 1,000 royal watchers eager to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen.
But during the cheerful meet-and-greet, things took an awkward turn. A video shared by The National captured the moment a man in the crowd called out to the King, “Why does your family cost us half a billion pounds a year, Charles?”
The King briefly paused, appeared to register the question, and calmly replied, “Ah, yes,” before swiftly moving along.
The encounter didn’t appear to rattle the monarch, who continued engaging with others nearby. Still, the exchange has sparked discussion online, as the Royal Family’s finances remain a hot-button topic for some.
As King Charles continued his walkabout in Newmarket, the same outspoken member of the public seized another opportunity to question the monarch this time about royal staff wages.
The second concerns an exposé by The Sunday Times, which alleged that most of the full-time gardeners at Highgrove, King Charles’s private Gloucestershire estate resigned in 2022, reportedly over low pay.
