Royal Family to replace helicopters after flights cost more than £1m last year | Monarchy

The royal family spent more than £1 million on helicopter travel last year and will receive two new aircraft to replace the ones they have been using for 15 years.

In total, the royals took 170 helicopter trips, costing a total of £1,096,300, official accounts reveal, with the total bill for the trips rising to £4.2 million last year from £3.9 million.

Advisers have defended the frequent use of helicopters, which has drawn criticism over its environmental impact, as it gives the royal family greater flexibility and easier access to remote areas, while allowing for more engagements in a day. The royal family is also increasingly using sustainable aviation fuel.

AgustaWestland’s two new AW139s are seen as a “key element” in enabling King Charles and the Royal Family to carry out their missions, and will replace their Sikorsky helicopters later this year. Due to the cost of replacement, the aim will be to maximise utilisation and “get the most out of the assets”.

The most expensive trip was Charles and Queen Camilla’s visit to Kenya by charter flight in October, plus a related staff planning visit by scheduled flights, which totalled £166,557, the accounts reveal.

The King and Queen’s three-day charter state visit to France in September, including trips to Paris and Bordeaux, cost £117,942.

The Royal Train remains, mile for mile, the most expensive form of transport. It cost £53,013 for Charles’ two-day visit to North Yorkshire, for engagements including the centenary of the Flying Scotsman. Advisers say the train mitigates security costs by providing secure overnight accommodation.

There are plans to review its use, as Charles only used it once last year. However, as last year was not considered a ‘normal’ year, partly due to the king’s health, a review will be carried out once a more regular pattern of use has been established.

Other sustainability measures include the conversion of the royal Bentleys to biofuel within a year, in preparation for a future fleet of electric cars, while solar panels have been installed for the first time at Windsor Castle. The palace plans to increase the number of solar panels and consider installing air source heat pumps across the residential complex in the coming years.

The palace’s gas lanterns, extinguished during the recent energy crisis as a cost-saving measure, are being reused with specially designed electrical equipment to improve their energy efficiency while preserving their historic appearance and luster.

Of the 523 staff at Buckingham Palace, 11.4% were from ethnic minorities, up from 9.7% last year, and 53% were women.

At Kensington Palace, where the Prince and Princess of Wales employ 66 staff, up from 50 last year, the gender balance was 67% women to 33% men, with 14% of staff from an ethnic minority background.