Queen eyes UK poverty fund for palace,starts heated

A government fund to provide subsidised heating to low-income Britons got some interest from an unexpected source: Queen Elizabeth II

A government fund to provide subsidised heating to low-income Britons got some interest from an unexpected source: Queen Elizabeth II,who wanted help paying the bills at Buckingham Palace.

The official response,according to documents unearthed by The Independent,was that the handout might prove to be an embarrassment if word got out. The paper quotes a source as reminding the royal household that the money was meant for local authorities,and housing associations.

I also feel a bit uneasy about the probable adverse press coverage if the Palace were given a grant at the expense of say a hospital, it quoted the official as saying. Sorry this doesnt sound more positive.

The newspaper said royal aides were looking for a way to pay the queens spiraling utility bills,which had risen by 50 per cent to more than 1 million in 2004. A letter written that year and addressed to Britains culture department asked whether the queen could get a community energy grant to upgrade the heating systems at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle,the monarchs favorite weekend residence.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman confirmed that royal officials had explored the possibility of getting money under the programme,saying it was part of an attempt to reduce both its burden on the taxpayer and improve the palaces energy efficiency.

Expensive or not,word that the royal household had toyed with the idea of trying to get money intended for some of the nations poorest citizens had a medieval ring to it and the drew the ire of Republic,which campaigns for the abolition of the British monarchy.

The group said the story provided clear evidence of the contempt the palace has for ordinary people in this country.

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Nick Bowring,a 23-year-old fitness instructor,said he didnt think the queen should get help paying her heating bills.

There are people who need it a lot more than she does, he said.

But Ian Laming,a 49-year-old carpenter,disagreed,saying he didn8217;t see why the government advised the palace not to apply for the funds. He said he admired the queen and was pleased when she volunteered to pay more taxes some years ago when royal finances were under scrutiny.