During a royal visit to Colchester, King Charles and Camilla were jeered by anti-monarchy protesters.
As the King and the Queen Consort arrived by automobile for a royal engagement, protesters from the anti-monarchy organisation Republic greeted them.
The group yelled questions at the King while brandishing banners and a megaphone that were audible over the national anthem and royal fanfare, including how much money the visit was costing the government and why the King kept Prince Andrew under protection.
As Charles and Camilla got out of a car, a protester said through a megaphone: ‘Answer your critics Charles.
‘Come over and talk to your critics.’
The protester also said ‘why are you wasting our money?’, and ‘don’t you believe in democracy Charles?’.
The group waved bright yellow placards reading ‘Not my King’, and said the British public deserved to have a say on whether they still wished to be ruled by an unelected head of state ahead of the coronation.
‘Why is Charles wasting tens of millions of pounds on a pointless parade?’ Republic CEO Graham Smith told BBC Essex ahead of the event.
‘He doesn’t need a coronation, he’s already King.’
The group said by protesting the event they hoped to raise awareness of opposition to the monarchy, which they say has been steadily growing.
Citing a recent poll suggesting the support for the monarchy among people aged under 45 has dropped below 50 percent, Mr Smith explained what his organisation wanted to achieve.
He added: ‘This coronation is a massive waste of money.
‘Anywhere between 50-100 million pounds is being spent on it, when there are schools and hospitals struggling with cuts, when there are people struggling with the cost of living crisis.
‘We think that’s appalling, and we think Charles should respond to those criticisms.’
He added that the group plans to protest at the coronation ceremony on May 6.
‘We believe the British public should be asked, do you want Charles or a choice? The tide is starting to turn against the monarchy and we need a serious debate about its future.’
Charles and Camilla, for their part, did not react to the protestors as they made their way down Colchester high street, which they were visiting to celebrate the former town’s new city status with a range of royal engagements.
Warning more protests will take place over the next two months, Mr Smith added: ‘Republic will be protesting at the Coronation, driving home the message that this is not a national celebration, but promotion of the monarchy at huge cost to the taxpayer. The time for change is here.’
Similar protests accompanied the King on another recent visit to Milton Keynes, which was also awarded city status as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations last year.