King Charles III’s Coronation is just one week away — but is all the grandeur and pageantry a worthwhile use of money?

Many will turn out in force to celebrate the monarchy in the coming days, as a moment to join together as a community. But others may see it as a new beginning for the monarchy.

Is this a moment to reassess the role of the monarch—or if we should even have one?

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked a few Bracknell Forest councillors for their views.

Michael Gbadebo, Conservative, Great Hollands South

I’m for the monarchy. It’s part and parcel of the tradition of the country. It brings in lots of money, it brings a lot of kudos, and people wish they have what we have here. That relationship between the government, the monarchy and democracy.

The role of the Queen—she was irreplaceable. I grew up with her, I’d never not known the Queen.

There’s a good balance with what we’ve had with the monarchy and the government. I hope Charles continues to play the same role that the Queen played.

I did apply for a ticket to go to the coronation but I missed out. My email from ticketmaster went into junk so I wasn’t able to respond.

I love the idea of giving anyone an opportunity to see it, but they should have given people more than 24 hours. I know the coronation will only happen in my lifetime once.

I’m going to watch it on TV. It will probably be the only coronation in my lifetime and I wouldn’t want to miss it.

Mary Temperton, Labour, Great Hollands North

The coronation is a holiday for most people. Some of them may well get down to their local celebrations, but I think for most people they’re glad to have a bank holiday.

Everybody is looking at what the purpose of the monarchy is, and they have been for some time. When you get a new King who is yet to prove himself, people are thinking whether it’s time to have a look at it.

But most people are still very royalist and are looking forward to having a bank holiday.

Dorothy Hayes MBE, Conservative, Ascot

It’s a piece of our history, and the fact that we do have a figurehead. If people didn’t approve of it they wouldn’t celebrate.

The coronation will get the community together. The world is so sad at the moment, with war in Sudan and Ukraine. And Covid took a lot from people, being locked up. So getting to be with one another is a nice thing.

The new King is very much into the environment, which is an important factor, because of our children.

Steven Bidwell, Labour, Old Bracknell

I’m pleased that they’ve reduced the extravagance of the coronation especially given the cost of living crisis.

Having said that there is a feelgood factor that some people get. A lot of people do like to celebrate coronations and all things royal, as we’re the royal county of Berkshire, and Windsor Castle is just up the road.

What the Queen represented through the war years has always meant there’s been a strong affection for her throughout the nation. But these are different times and it’s an opportunity to see if King Charles can do things in a different way.