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Should taxpayers fund the Royal family's lifestyle? Stacey Solomon argues choice is a MUST

Stacey Solomon, a former star on X-Factor, has expressed her disapproval of the 'contributions' made by the general public to the British Royal Family

BY SRIJAL SHARMA

UPDATED SEP 30, 2022

(Photo by Tristan Fewings and Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images)

LONDON, UK: English singer and television personality, Stacey Solomon has expressed his disapproval of the practice of giving money to the British Royal Family that is collected from the general public. A video from 2018 of the time when the former X-Factor star stated she did not understand the idea behind maintaining the monarchy and the royals had gone viral earlier this month after Queen Elizabeth II died.

Even though the video is some years old, Stacey has been criticized by monarchists on several platforms. She has been firm in her belief that the British Royal Family enjoys an unfairly elevated status while dismissing the idea that English taxpayers are somehow responsible for their maintenance, despite harsh criticism.

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She told The Guardian, “I have nothing against the monarchy and the Queen seemed like a lovely lady, but I don’t understand why we pay a contribution to one of the wealthiest families in the world.” Solomon added, "Some of our kids weren’t even getting school lunches, and to know a huge amount of money is going to somebody who doesn’t need it, I just couldn’t get my head around that."

Stacey Solomon attends a festive lunch for mothers to celebrate the untold stories of motherhood hosted by herself and Michelle Kennedy on December 03, 2019 in Essex, England. (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images for The Peanut App)

The annual payment to the royal family, which is called the Sovereign Grant, is funded by taxpayers. According to Forbes, the Sovereign Grant amounted to $99.6 million in 2022, with the majority of those funds going toward the upkeep of royal properties.

However, the 'Loose Women' star, on the other hand, felt strongly that donors should have a say in the final destination of their contributions. She continued: "It would be cool if there was an opt-in opt-out version and you can opt to give it to somebody else." She still doesn't understand what the Royal Family is all about, as she said in 2018. She said: “I don’t know why they can’t exist just as a cool famous family. Why do they have to be head of anything and have that monetary contribution?”

(L-R) Camilla, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince George of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, Prince Louis of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge stand on the balcony during the Platinum Pageant on June 05, 2022 in London, England. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. (Photo by Roland Hoskins - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

This month, the 32-year-old was the target of unwarranted criticism on social media, with some monarchists assuming that her 2018 footage was released after the death of the Queen. She said she hadn't stated it "on the Queen's passing," but that it was being "misrepresented" online. The clip was taken from a discussion regarding the media's obsession with the British royal family, which featured Christin Lampard, Linda Robson, and Jane Moore of 'Loose Women'.

Solomon claimed, following a discussion about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, “I don't get why we're so obsessed with these humans that are exactly the same.” She explained, “I'm probably gonna be of the opinion of nobody else in the entire world but I just don't get it. I don't get any of it.”