The King is bidding the “fondest of farewells” to the royal train after approving its decommissioning following decades of service.
Charles and other members of the royal family will rely on two new helicopters when the eight-carriage train stops running ahead of a maintenance contract ending in early 2027, according to the annual royal accounts.
James Chalmers, Keeper of the Privy Purse, described the move as an example of the royal household applying “fiscal discipline” in its drive to deliver “value for money”.
The annual accounts showed the Sovereign Grant, which supports the official duties of the royal family, will remain for a fourth consecutive year at £86.3 million, while royal travel increased by £500,000 to £4.7 million and payroll costs were up £2 million to £29.9 million.
The King is said to have fond memories of the train, which features a carriage created for Charles in the mid-1980s which he still uses now he is King, and the Prince of Wales is aware and supports the decommissioning decision.
Mr Chalmers said: “The royal train, of course, has been part of national life for many decades, loved and cared for by all those involved.
“But in moving forward we must not be bound by the past.
“Just as so many parts of the royal household’s work have been modernised and adapted to reflect the world of today, so too, the time has come to bid the fondest of farewells, as we seek to be disciplined and forward in our allocation of funding.
“With His Majesty’s support it has therefore been decided that the process to decommission the royal train will commence next year.”
The rundown of royal finances – from April 1 2024 to March 31 2025 – covers the months following the King and the Princess of Wales’s double cancer diagnosis and the majority of 2024 – the year described by the Prince of Wales as “brutal” and probably the hardest of his life.
Charles made a rapid return to public-facing duties in April, while Kate made a more gradual one after revealing in September she had finished her chemotherapy treatment, and later confirmed at the start of 2025 that she was cancer free.
Mr Chalmers said that after returning to public-facing duties in April 2024, the King “… demonstrated remarkable resilience by undertaking a wide programme of public and state duties at home and overseas while continuing to receive treatment, demonstrating not only His Majesty’s personal commitment to duty but also the adaptability and resilience of the royal household in ensuring continuity of service, no matter the personal circumstances”.
The royal train was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Duke of Edinburgh and was decorated and furnished to meet the needs of senior royals, and in 2020 William and Kate made a 1,250-mile train journey over three days to thank key and frontline workers and communities for their efforts during the pandemic.
The annual accounts state the decision was taken for a number of reasons including the cost of storing and maintaining the train against its level of use, significant investment was needed to keep the train in use beyond 2027 and the new helicopters were reliable alternatives.
Mr Chalmers said: “Before it finally goes out of service, it is our hope that the train will make further visits to parts of the UK, while discussions will begin on finding a long-term home where some particularly historic elements might go on public display.”
