Charles and Camilla are berated by anti-monarchists during the Colchester voyage
King Charles and Camilla were harassed by anti-monarchy protesters during a royal visit to Colchester.
The King was greeted by hecklers from the anti-monarchy group Republic as he arrived by car alongside the Queen Consort for a royal engagement.
With placards and a megaphone loudly heard over the national anthem and royal fanfare, the group loudly asked the king how much money the visit had cost taxpayers and why he continued to protect his brother. Prince Andrew.
The group waved bright yellow placards that read “Not my King” and said the British public deserved to have a say on whether they wanted to be ruled by an unelected head of state before the coronation.
“Why is Charles wasting tens of millions of pounds on a pointless parade?” Republic CEO Graham Smith told BBC Essex ahead of the event.
“He doesn’t need a coronation, he’s already king.”
The group said by protesting the event they hoped to raise awareness of opposition to the monarchy, which they say has been growing steadily.
Citing a recent poll suggesting that support for the monarchy has fallen below 50 per cent among people under the age of 45, Mr Smith explained what his organization was trying to achieve.
He added: “This coronation is a massive waste of money.
“Somewhere between £50m and £100m will be spent as schools and hospitals grapple with cuts as people grapple with the cost of living crisis.
“We find this appalling and we think Charles should respond to this criticism.”
He added that the group plans to protest against it Coronation ceremony on May 6th.
“We believe the British public should be asked, do you want Charles or an election? The tide is beginning to turn against the monarchy and we need a serious debate about its future.”
For their part, Charles and Camilla did not respond to the protesters as they walked down Colchester High Street, which they visited to celebrate the former town’s new town status with a series of royal engagements.
Mr Smith warned more protests will take place over the next two months, adding: “The Republic will protest the coronation and bring home the message that this is not a national celebration but the promotion of the monarchy at a tremendous cost to the taxpayer. The time for change is here.”
Similar protests followed the King’s recent visit to Milton Keynes, which was also granted city status last year as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
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https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/07/charles-and-camilla-heckled-by-anti-monarchists-during-colchester-trip-18399153/ Charles and Camilla are berated by anti-monarchists during the Colchester voyage