Cost of royal visit: Burning money

That €6,000 door-polishing tab might be very small beer to accountants in public and private enterprises accustomed to signing off spending in the millions and billions.

Prince Charles has many critics in Britain, where his ostentatious profligacy has been a topic of noteworthy concern; he’s known especially for using the family’s private train for a 772km journey at a cost of €21,000.

It’s highly unlikely, then, that Windsor’s big spender would be distressed to learn that almost €6,000 was spent on polishing door handles at Cork City Hall in preparation of his one-day visit in June.