Skint Tower of London forced to fork out eye-watering sum to pay for Beefeaters’ new uniforms for King’s Coronation

THE Tower of London’s Beefeaters are getting new uniforms for the King’s coronation — but plans to save cash keep coming undone.

Attempts at cut-price changes to the old ones had to be ditched, so now £400,000 will be spent on fresh clobber.

Bosses had tried to adapt the existing red and blue uniforms by unstitching the Queen’s EIIR emblem and sew the King’s CIIIR over it, but the sun had faded the cloth and the old lettering showed underneath.

Stitching on a new panel of cloth also did not match the faded coat.

Even after it was decided new uniforms were needed, there was trouble when the Lord Chamberlain twice rejected the King’s CIIIR cypher as the design was wonky.

The Tower’s 33 Beefeaters — who are still wearing tunics showing the late Queen’s prominent EIIR stitching emblazoned across their chests — will now get one red tunic costing around £8,000 each for the coronation and 66 everyday blue ones for summer and winter at £2,000 each.

A source revealed the completely new uniforms are set to be unveiled this month in time for Charles’s coronation on May 6.

They said: “It’s been traditional for centuries to change when there’s a new monarch, but this time it’s been a nightmare.

“After three years of lost revenue because of Covid, Tower bosses were desperate to avoid having to pay for 99 new uniforms.”

The Tower of London declined to comment on the difficulties encountered, but said of the uniforms: “We will make an announcement soon.”