whose history dates back to Queen Victoria, because it costs too much to operate and would have needed a significant upgrade for more advanced rail systems, Buckingham Palace said Monday.

“In moving forward, we must not be bound by the past,’’ said James Chalmers, the palace official in charge of the king’s financial affairs. “Just as so many parts of the royal household’s work have modernised and adapted to reflect the world of today, so too the time has come to bid the fondest of farewells, as we seek to be disciplined and forward-looking in our allocation of funding.’’

The train, actually a suite of nine railcars that can be hitched to commercial locomotives, will be decommissioned sometime before the current maintenance contract expires in 2027. That will bring to an end a tradition that dates back to 1869, when Queen Victoria commissioned a pair of special coaches to accommodate her travels. The decision was announced during the palace’s annual briefing for reporters on the royal finances. The royal family will for the fourth consecutive year receive public funding of £86.3 million (US$118 million), including £34.5 million to fund the remodeling of Buckingham Palace, in the 12 months through March 2026. This money comes from a mechanism known as the Sovereign Grant, which sets aside 12 per cent of the net income from the Crown Estate to fund the official duties of the king and other members of the royal family. (Jamaica gLeaner)