‘Worried’ King Charles giving royal staff big bonus out of own pocket

King Charles is handing lower-paid royal staff a bonus out of his own pocket amid the cost of living crisis. Hundreds of workers from the Royal Household including cleaners, servants and footmen will receive a one-off payment up to £600 on top of this month’s salary.The bonuses, which tot up to tens of thousands of pounds, are from Charles’s private income and no taxpayers’ money is being used.The King is said to be concerned about the “economic wellbeing” of loyal staff in light of soaring inflation and a looming recession.An insider told The Sun: ‘The King is giving money out of his own pocket to the lowest earners working for the household to help them cope with the cost of living crisis.’It is being given on a ­sliding scale with those most in need and on lower wages getting the most money. King Charles is reportedly handing lowly-paid royal staff a bonus out of his own pocket (Image: GETTY)’It is to target where it is needed the most in the Royal Household and reflects the reality of the economic situation the country faces.’The King is very much aware of the soaring energy bills people are facing and worried about the economic wellbeing of loyal palace staff and doing what he can.’Staff with an annual salary of less than £30,000 will receive a £600 bonus to ease cost of living pressures.Those on between £30,000 and £40,000 will be handed an extra £400.Staff paid between £40,000 and £45,000 are set to be given an additional £350.Single people in accommodation provided by the Royal Household will receive £200.It comes after Charles asked MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis to send him a briefing note on the cost of living crisis in July when he received his CBE at Buckingham Palace.Mr Lewis spoke to the then Prince after he presented his honour.The finance expert said he felt he had to ‘raise the alarm’ because the country would face ‘cataclysmic’ problems in the winter. Charles previously asked Martin Lewis to send him a briefing note on the cost of living crisis (Image: PA)Speaking at Windsor, he added: ‘I would be far happier to have come and got my honour and have a nice fun day and not be talking about this because the world is wonderful, but the world isn’t wonderful right now. And I think this is potentially more dangerous to lives than the pandemic.’It is a cataclysmic problem that is going to face the country this winter.’I am without embarrassment, deliberately, provocatively, raising an alarm right now. And I will do that with everyone. And when you get the ear of the Prince of Wales for a moment like that, it seemed the right time to take advantage.”Mr Lewis later confirmed his conversation with Charles in a post on Twitter.He said: “This is true. I am raising an alarm over catastrophic energy bills this winter and the Prince of Wales did ask me to send him a briefing note on the new scale of the energy bills crisis (which I of course will happily do)…”