Taxpayers foot the bill for Charles and Camilla’s Aussie trip

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will touch down in Australia today, for a whirlwind tour of the country that includes high teas, glitzy receptions and a quick side trip to Vanuatu. 

While it all sounds like great fun, it turns out the bill for the fun-filled tour will actually come at the expense of Australian taxpayers.

The Australian exclusively reports the entire seven-day trip will be funded by Aussie taxpayers rather than the royal family and it’s expected to cost about $500,000. 

Prince Charles and Camilla will touch down in Brisbane on Wednesday, with Boeing 737-BBJ airliners in the RAAF’s VIP fleet to transport the pair for their tour of the country. These planes cost $15,000 an hour to operate.

The government said these costs are “consistent with past visits” by members of the royal family. Prince Charles’ bill for his 2012 trip Down Under was a tidy $437,057.

The Palace confirmed last year that Charles would represent the Queen at the Commonwealth Games, and although it was initially thought Camilla would skip the whirlwind tour, Clarence House later confirmed the pair would make the trip together.

Camilla will only be in Queensland for a few days before jetting home. Prince Charles will then tour northern parts of the Sunshine State, before heading to the  Northern Territory. He’ll also duck over to Vanuatu for a quick visit before heading home. 

While it’s sure to stoke the Republican fire, these trips could soon be a thing of the past. Former prime minister Paul Keating made headlines on Monday when he alleged Prince Charles supports the prospect of Australia breaking free of the Commonwealth and becoming an independent nation.

In comments made to The Sunday Times in Britain, and provided to The Australian, Keating said it was time for Australia to break free from its institutional shackles and that Prince Charles actually supports the movement.

Read more: ‘Prince Charles wants Australia to ditch Monarchy’: Keating

“Why would he or any one of his family want to visit Australia pretending to be, or representing its aspirations as, its head of state?” Keating asked. “But none of that is to diminish the commitment and sense of duty that Prince Charles displays towards Great Britain and, as constitutional arrangements stand, towards Australia. He is a great friend of Australia — there is no doubt about that.”

The comments haven’t sat well with all Australians, particularly former PM Tony Abbott, who said on Monday that “Prince Charles would just want to do his duty and he shouldn’t be verballed by an ex-PM”.

Should Australian taxpayers be forced to fund royal trips to Australia? Do you think Australia should become an independent country?