Last week the annual report on the Sovereign Grant was published, explaining how taxpayer money is used to fund the Royal Family and support their official duties.
Amongst the information disclosed was how much King Charles and Queen Camilla’s private secretaries are paid, yet the £100,000 disparity between the respective positions has led to an outcry, with one former courtier even describing it as a “kick in the teeth” for the Queen’s equally hard-working secretary.
Sadly this pay gap should not be surprising as statistics show that four out of five British companies and organisations pay their female staff members less than their male ones.
However, if the King wants to set an example, as he has attempted to do so far with his slimmed-down monarchy and conservation efforts, he needs to take steps to address this glaring inequality.
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Private secretaries hold a vital role in ensuring life at Buckingham Palace runs smoothly, supporting the monarch in their duties as Head of State.
They are the official channel of communication between the monarch and the Government both in the UK and all the other Commonwealth nations.
A private secretary will also liaise with the Armed Forces, the Church and the organisations the royal is patron of.
The position of private secretary to King Charles is currently held by Sir Clive Alderton, one of the royal household’s top earners on £205,000 to £210,000 per year.
Queen Camilla’s private secretary Sophie Densham may still be on good money as she earns between £90,000-£95,000 annually, however this is a stark difference from what her male counterpart earns.
It’s concerning that the salaries are so far apart, especially considering Ms Densham works tirelessly for the Queen.
As a result, Charles needs to take affirmative action to prove he can be the modern monarch he wants to embody.
According to analysis by The Guardian women are still paid less than their male counterparts in four out of five companies, with the median pay gap remaining at 9.4 percent – as it also was five years ago.
In nearly half of the businesses analysed men were paid at least 10 percent more than female employees, while only one in 10 companies pay their staff equal wages.
When Charles ascended to the throne last September, at the age of 73, he brought with him the promise of a new era as he sought to address the biggest issues facing our society today, such as the cost of living crisis and climate change.
By promoting a slimmed-down monarchy, scaling down his Coronation and reducing the number of royal residences Charles is trying to prove himself as a King for our times.
However, by failing to tackle the gender pay gap he risks undermining his tireless efforts to modernise the institution.
Some may argue that working for the King must naturally come with a higher salary attached given his superior status, but this does not tell the whole story.
Last year Camilla carried out over 100 royal engagements and now as Queen Consort has a number of her own patronages and charities that a private secretary must maintain regular correspondence.
Edward Young, who served as private secretary to Queen Elizabeth from 2017 until her death, was paid around £146,000 per year, while Prince Philip’s private secretary Archie Miller-Bakewell was left a handsome share of the £30million he left to his employees after his death.
If there is money in the coffers to increase a private secretary’s salary by that much then there is surely enough to offer Ms Densham a wage that is fair and reflective of her true worth.
