The Coronation of King Charles III is set to take place this weekend - the first our country has seen in 70 years and undoubtedly a historic moment.
Union Jack flags are lining the streets, huge elaborate crowns have been erected around the capital and members of the public have already started setting up camp to catch a glimpse of the newly crowned King and Queen.
The elaborate three-day celebration (code named 'Operation Golden Orb') will see a formal ceremony attended by 2,300 and a Diamond carriage procession through Central London. Not to mention Sunday's star-studded Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, headlining names from Katy Perry to Lionel Richie, before a nation-wide Bank Holiday on the Monday.
The royal family has pulled out all the stops, and while a budget has not been officially revealed, the Coronation weekend is estimated to have cost as much as £100 million.
Disclaimer - I'm a royalist, but such elaborate spending does not sit well with me. In fact, given the current cost of living crisis, I find it deeply inappropriate.
The past year has seen the cost of living crisis reach breaking point in the UK, with average real-terms pay falling at its fastest rate for 20 years, and rising food and energy costs pushing millions of households into food and fuel poverty.
Food bank use is surging across the country, our National Health Service is in trouble and essential workers from nurses to junior doctors are being forced to take strike action.
It has been a time of hardship for the people of Britain, and many - myself among them, believe that a national event such as this should be reflective of that. Unfortunately, the Coronation - complete with footmen, regalia and golden carriages, has already missed the mark for me. And the pomp and pageantry at a time when many are being forced to skip meals feels inaccessible and out of touch.
It is important to note that King Charles did request a "slimmed-down" celebration in light of the cost of living crisis. But even in its scaled-back form, the Coronation is still estimated to cost between £50m and £100m - paid for by the taxpayer.
Added to this are the further expenses of having a Bank Holiday on the Monday, with the department for Culture, Media and Sport estimating that it will cost the government £2.39 billion.
Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden is reported to have defended the Coronation spending, insisting that people wouldn't want "scrimping and scraping" at such a "marvellous moment in our history". I'm afraid I disagree. I actually think that it would have done a whole world of good for our nation - saving money, increasing relatability and bolstering royal popularity alone.
This era of monarchy is supposed to be relatable and representative of the British public - two things that I'm afraid this Coronation is not. In fact, if anything for me it has highlighted the inequality felt across the country.
Despite what you may think, I will be tuning in on Saturday. I am not anti monarchy - on the contrary, I will be in the streets celebrating with the rest of the nation.
My issue is simply with the grandeur of this Coronation amid the cost of living crisis. And given the fact that this was their downsized model, I'm afraid the institution to me has never felt more out of touch.
Whether the Coronation cost £50 million or £100 million, it is overspending on a gross scale. And at a time when 14.4 million people in the UK are living in poverty, it feels deeply inappropriate.
A Coronation marks the start of a new era - and if Charles III's is to be one of modernity and relatability, events such as this need to be more reflective of the times.
We want to know your opinion on it. Let us know @MarieClaireUK.
