Queen Elizabeth’s funeral cost the UK government £162million, the treasury revealed.
The state funeral was held on September 19, 2022, following a period of national mourning during which hundreds of thousands visited Westminster Abbey where the monarch was lying in state. The Queen died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle after 70 years on the throne.
The biggest costs were covered by the Home Office who paid £74million towards the event, the treasury noted. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport spent £57million, it added. The Scottish government spent £18.756 million on the Queen’s lying in rest.
World leaders descended on London to pay their respects as part of the memorial as millions of people tuned in worldwide to see the funeral.
Chief secretary to the treasury John Glen said that the state funeral was a “moment of huge national significance”.
“During this period, many hundreds of thousands of people came in person to pay their respects, at the lying at rest in Edinburgh, the lying-in-state in Westminster, as well as in London and Windsor for the state funeral on 19 September. Many more people also came out to support his majesty the king and other members of the royal family as they travelled around the UK during this time,” he 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. As departments finalise their accounts ahead of publication in the coming months, the government is now able to publish an estimate of the costs associated with delivery of these events by the main government departments and devolved administrations involved,” he added.
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