Republic (political organisation)

Republic asserts that there is a lack of transparency and accountability with respect to the funding of the monarchy. The group believes the royal finances should be independently audited by the National Audit Office, like all other central government departments, and that the monarchy's exemption from the Freedom of Information Act should be removed.

Republic's response to the annual royal finance reports is reported in the media.[10] In 2009, while Buckingham Palace claimed the total cost of the monarchy to be £41.5m, Republic estimated the figure at £334 million,[11] once additional costs such as royal security had been taken into account.[12] Republic's calculations do not factor in the profits of the Crown Estate, which are transferred to the national coffers in return for the civil list (a payment superseded by the Sovereign Grant in 2012); they assert that the Crown Estate is the property of the monarch only in their capacity as Head of State, and therefore state property.

In May 2007 Republic persuaded Brian Iddon MP to table an early day motion about the lack of transparency in the Duchy of Cornwall's accounts.[6] Following a legal ruling in 2011 that the Duchy of Cornwall was separate from Prince Charles for the purposes of regulation, Republic asked HM Revenue and Customs to investigate if the Duchy should still be exempt from tax. The tax exemption is based on the assumption that the Duchy estate is inseparable from the tax exempt person of Prince Charles, which is now open to question.[13] In 2013, lobbying by Republic resulted in William Nye, Prince Charles's private secretary, appearing before the Public Accounts Committee to explain the Duchy's tax arrangements.[6]

Republic regularly criticises Prince Charles for expressing forthright views and lobbying on political issues, which the group says is unconstitutional.[14] It has also called on the British Government to stop subsidising Charles' £16.3m annual income through grants[15] and tax breaks.[16] During 2015 Republic launched a campaign and petition Take Back the Duchy to abolish the Duchy of Cornwall and transfer its land and assets to the Crown Estate.[17][18] In December 2015 a freedom of information request by Republic revealed that Prince Charles had routine access to confidential government papers.[7]

In 2008 Republic launched a campaign to give republicans an alternative oath of allegiance.[19] The campaign began with an Early Day Motion and was taken up by human rights lawyer Louise Christian.[20]

In advance of the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the tourist organisation VisitBritain said that the event would be good for tourism. In response Republic made a freedom of information request for VisitBritain documents which indicated that royal weddings had in the past had a negative effect on tourism.[6] Republic held an alternative street party in London at the Royal Wedding, "celebrating democracy and people power rather than inherited privilege", along with other events across the UK's major cities. Republic's London event had initially been blocked by Camden Council.[21]

Republic has claimed that the BBC displays bias in relation to its reporting of royal matters.[22] The documentary The Diamond Queen was criticised for this: in a letter to the chairman of the BBC Trust, Chris Patten, Graham Smith, the organisation's Chief Executive, argued that the programme breached BBC guidelines on impartiality. In his letter, Smith claimed the series was subject to "distortions, half-truths and fabrications".[23][24][25]