Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and related events following her death last September cost UK taxpayers nearly £162 million ($201 million), the government revealed on Thursday in its first public estimate.
The elaborate state funeral for Britain’s longest-serving monarch, held on September 19, entailed a vast security operation for hundreds of foreign heads of state and royals.
It followed hundreds of thousands of people queuing round the clock for days to view her coffin as it lay in state at the UK parliament in London and in Edinburgh, which also required costly security and logistical arrangements.
In a written statement to parliament, finance minister John Glen said the total estimated cost ran to £161.7 million, with the interior ministry — responsible for policing — accounting for the biggest proportion (£73.7 million).
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport spent £57.4 million, while the Scottish government billed £18.8 million.
“The death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022 and the period of national mourning that followed was a moment of huge national significance,” Glen said.
“The government’s priorities were that these events ran smoothly and with the appropriate level of dignity, while at all times ensuring the safety and security of the public.”
The disclosure comes shortly after the coronation earlier this month of Elizabeth’s son, King Charles III, with its likely bill raising eyebrows — and complaints — as many Britons struggle with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.
Buckingham Palace has rejected reports that the total for that vast security operation would top £100 million.
