British monarchy under scrutiny as cost of Queen Elizabeth II statue debate erupts

​​​​​​​By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - A proposal to erect a £46 million ($58.45 million) statue of Queen Elizabeth II has come under scrutiny, with critics calling it an "appalling waste of money," given the current economic struggles faced by many in the UK.

The cost is estimated to be equivalent to the salaries of more than 1,000 National Health Service (NHS) nurses, prompting calls for the royal family to cover the expense.

Republican pressure group, Republic, has been vocal in opposing the taxpayer-funded project. Graham Smith, the group’s CEO, condemned the royals for their perceived financial dependence on public funds.

"The royals never pay for anything. It’s just take, take, take," Smith said in a statement.

"We spend over half a billion pounds on the monarchy every year. We allow them to avoid paying taxes and provide Charles and William with personal incomes of more than £23 million each. Yet, when they want a statue to the Queen, they expect the taxpayer to foot the bill. This has to stop. They can pay for their own statue."

Smith argued that the statue lacks public support and serves no tangible benefit to the nation, especially at a time when critical public services are struggling.

“There is no public demand for this statue,” he said. “Support for the monarchy has fallen sharply, and interest in it is low. The UK continues to suffer appalling levels of poverty while our NHS and schools are starved of funding. Yet time and again the royals demand more and more money from the taxpayer.”

The Republic’s criticism is backed by their recent, Half a Billion Pound Royals, report, which details the financial burden of the monarchy on UK taxpayers. It said public funding for the royal family exceeds £500 million annually.

Smith demanded broader change. “The royals hold the British public in contempt. It’s time we returned the favour and abolished the monarchy,” he said.

Republic, a non-partisan group representing more than 130,000 members, campaign for the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a directly elected head of state.

The group argues that such a system would ensure better accountability and representation for the British people.