Royal family finances: What Irish people really think about monarchy spending

When it comes to Royal family finances, the public funding of the British monarchy through taxpayer money, even in countries that no longer recognize the crown as head of state. Also known as monarchy funding, it’s a topic that stirs quiet anger, dry humor, and deep historical memory in Ireland. Most Irish people don’t watch the coronations or follow the wedding guest lists. But when the news drops that the royal family spent €12 million on a single year’s upkeep, people notice. And they remember. Ireland abolished the monarchy over a century ago. We became a republic in 1949. So why should any Irish taxpayer—whether in Cork, Derry, or Clonmel—fund a system we officially rejected?

It’s not about jealousy over fancy hats or private islands. It’s about Irish public opinion, the collective, unspoken feeling among generations who grew up with stories of colonial rule, land seizures, and a crown that once ruled them. A 2023 survey by the Irish Times found that 68% of Irish adults believe the monarchy has no place in modern Ireland—and nearly half said they’d be upset if their taxes indirectly supported it. That’s not a protest. That’s a quiet, stubborn truth. The royal family doesn’t live here. They don’t pay our taxes. They don’t use our hospitals or send their kids to our schools. Yet their security, travel, and staff costs are still covered by British taxpayers—and sometimes, those costs echo here through trade deals, diplomatic ties, or media coverage that treats the royals as global icons.

Then there’s monarchy funding, the complex system of public grants, private estates, and sovereign wealth that keeps the royal household running. Also known as royal budget, it’s not simple. The Sovereign Grant comes from the Crown Estate’s profits—a portfolio of land, property, and offshore wind farms that generate billions. But that money doesn’t go to the Queen’s personal savings. It pays for palace staff, royal carriages, and the cost of flying the Prince of Wales to Scotland. In Ireland, we see that and ask: why does this matter to us? Because the same institutions that once governed us still hold symbolic power. Because when a royal visits Dublin, the security bill is paid by Irish police. Because the media keeps framing them as celebrities, not relics.

And here’s the thing: you don’t have to love or hate the royals to feel this. You just have to live here. You’ve seen the headlines. You’ve heard the jokes at the pub: "The Queen’s got a new yacht. We’ve got a leaking roof." You’ve noticed how Irish politicians never mention the monarchy unless forced to. That silence speaks louder than any protest. This isn’t about politics. It’s about identity. It’s about what we chose to leave behind—and what still lingers in the background.

Below, you’ll find real stories from Irish people who’ve lived through royal visits, who’ve worked in shops where royal merchandise sold better than local brands, who’ve watched their grandparents roll their eyes at the mention of Windsor. You’ll read about the hidden costs, the odd cultural clashes, and the quiet pride in being a republic that doesn’t ask for permission to be itself.