On Wednesday, UK’s TV channel, Sky News, reported that at least 1,600 activists opposing the UK’s monarchy would protest in London on the day of the coronation of Charles III, citing a leader of the anti-monarchist movement Republic.
Sky News quoted the CEO of Republic, Graham Smith, as saying, “We are opposed to the monarchy, and this is a very public display of hereditary privilege and power and needs to be challenged.’’
According to the report, the protesters plan to follow the coronation route, holding banners and chanting “Abolish the monarchy” and “Not my king.”
“It’s also an appalling waste of public money when it’s completely unnecessary, so we think this is an opportunity to make clear that we’re not a nation of royalists,” Mr Smith was quoted in the report as saying.
The TV channel added that the coronation is expected to cost £250 million ($314 million), although an official number is yet to be provided.
On April 26, the Evening Standard cited unnamed sources that the coronation might cost some £50 to £100 million of UK taxpayers’ money.
In January, the Republic’s activists held the first in the series of their protests against the upcoming coronation.
In early April, the other group’s activists received Mr Charles and his wife Camilla in York holding banners saying “Not my king.”
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be officially crowned on May 6.
His predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II, died on September 8 in Scotland at the age of 96 years. Her reign, lasting 70 years and 214 days, was the longest of any British monarch.