Steph McGovern has received a wave of praise over a speech she gave about the monarchy on her Channel 4 daytime show.
During Mondayβs edition of Stephβs Packed Lunch, the host and her guests reflected on the coronation celebrations over the past weekend, which the former BBC business journalist admitted she found βhardβ to enjoy due to the royalsβ elaborate displays of wealth.
βMy beef is less with the event itself,β she began. β[People were] having street parties, and in my local area, people were really excited about it.
βBut also, and Iβm going to try not to get emotional about this, in the last week, Iβve been working with families who have got nothing.
βA little boy whoβs been going through a bin for food, because his parents havenβt got stuff. Working with kids who donβt know what shower gel is. Iβd taken them some, and some of them were asking what it was. And then, also, a family member in hospital, whoβs on a trolley in a corridor. That would never happen to that family.β
Looking at a picture of the newly-crowned King Charles, Steph continued: βThat picture β how much is that crown with? The gold carriage worth three million β could we not start selling some of that off and thinking about the nurses we need or what we need to solve the poverty?
βThe wealth divides really upsets me. And I get [the] history, and we have a monarch, and thatβs that. And so many people get so much out of it.
βBut also, why does it have to be this extreme wealth that they have? Why canβt they live more normally? Thatβs what I find hard.β
After a clip of Stephβs speech was shared online, many people agreed that the displays of wealth during the coronation felt uncomfortable in the current climate:
King Charles was crowned in a vast ceremony on Saturday afternoon, which was followed by a celebratory concert the following evening.
Among the performers at this event were Paloma Faith, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, with Take That closing the show.