Why is King Charles saying goodbye to the royal train after 180 years?

King Charles is retiring the royal train as part of his ongoing efforts to modernise the monarchy and cut down on public spending.

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The royal train, which has been transporting members of the royal family across Britain since 1840, is now seen as too costly to maintain and no longer suitable for modern use.

Under King Charles’s direction, the decision to decommission the royal train is a symbolic yet practical step in moving away from traditional but outdated royal luxuries.

The train’s rolling stock, mostly dating back to the 1980s, would require expensive updates to remain compatible with today’s railway systems.

With the recent addition of two more fuel-efficient helicopters to the royal travel fleet, Buckingham Palace has decided the time is right to say farewell to the royal train.

Officials close to the King Charles explained that while the royal train has played a valuable role in national life for decades, the monarchy must evolve and adapt.

King Charles has made it clear that maintaining such costly symbols of the past no longer fits with his vision for a more streamlined and sustainable royal household.

A long-term home is now being sought for the royal train’s historic carriages, which may be preserved as part of Britain’s national heritage.

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This move comes as the royal accounts for 2024–25 show that the royal family will continue to receive £86.3 million from the government to cover their official work, the same amount as the past three years.

However, the amount is expected to rise to £132 million per year from 2025 to 2027. Part of this extra money will help pay the remaining £100 million needed to finish Buckingham Palace’s 10-year renovation project, which costs a total of £369 million.

The royal accounts also show that overall travel costs for the royal family rose by £500,000 to reach £4.7 million, while payroll costs increased by £2 million to nearly £30 million.

Travel journeys costing over £17,000 nearly doubled, and the King Charles and Queen’s recent state visit to Samoa alone cost the public £401,000.

King Charles is also pushing for more environmentally friendly practices across the royal household.

One of the royal Bentleys now runs on biofuels, and the second is expected to switch soon. There are also ongoing discussions about moving towards electric vehicles for royal transport.

The decision to retire the royal train is just one of several changes King Charles has made to bring the monarchy in line with modern values.

The royal train, once a proud symbol of royal prestige, now steps aside as King Charles steers the monarchy into a new era.