The Royal Train is all set to make its final destination after 156 years, as King Charles decided to economise.
According to Associated Press, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday, June 30, that as part of cost-cutting efforts, King Charles III has approved taking the Royal Train out of service.
The palace explained that the cost of operating the train from the era of Queen Victoria is very high, and it also needs some upgrades for the advanced rail system.
James Chalmers, the palace official in charge of the king’s financial affairs, stated, “In moving forward, we must not be bound by the past.”
“Just as so many parts of the royal household’s work have modernised and adapted to reflect the world of today, so too the time has come to bid the fondest of farewells, as we seek to be disciplined and forward-looking in our allocation of funding,” he added.
History behind the Royal Train:
The Royal Train has nine special railcars that can be attached to regular trains or engines. The tradition of these suits and railcars began in 1869 when Queen Victoria first used a special train for travelling.
The current maintenance contract for the train was set to end in 2027 however, after the decision of the King, it will be decommissioned more than a year before the expiry.
The decision to derail the train was made during the annual press briefing of the palace about royal finances.
It is worth noting that for the fourth year in a row, the royal family received 86.3 million pounds ($118 million) in public funding, out of which 34.5 million pounds will be spent on the renovation of Buckingham Palace by March 2026.
