Swedish king removes grandchildren from royal house, meaning they will no longer receive funds from taxpayer

Republican group calls for British monarchy to cut down costs

Sweden‘s king has removed five of his grandchildren from the country’s royal house, meaning they will no longer receive taxpayer funds.

King Carl XVI Gustaf announced his grandchildren will no longer perform official duties, but will retain their titles of duke and duchess.

The move includes the two children of the king’s son, Prince Carl Philip, and the three children of his daughter Princess Madeleine.

Crown Princess Victoria, the king’s oldest child and heir to the throne, her husband Prince Daniel and their two children are not affected by the changes.

The news prompted Republic, a grassroots movement advocating for an elected head of state in the UK, to call for the British monarchy to cut down costs.

“At least they have done something to cut the cost,” Graham Smith, chief executive of the organisation, told The Independent.

“We have long made the point that we only need one head of state and the cost ought to be cut back to one annual salary for the Queen and no one else.”

He said the move “may well be followed at some point” in the UK, but added: “I suspect that the Queen won’t do it but possibly King Charles might.”

A YouGov poll conducted in 2015 found a majority of people did not think minor royals should receive state subsidy.

In 2016, Denmark announced plans to cut funding to minor royals.

In Sweden the royal family is hugely popular, despite the egalitarianism that otherwise characterises its society.