Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral to cost over $9m and will be funded by UK taxpayers
The Queen’s funeral could be the biggest TV event in history and it won’t come cheap.
Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral will cost British taxpayers millions of dollars.
While the government has not disclosed the cost, the funeral at Westminster Abbey in London is likely to cost more than $A9 million and has the potential to be the biggest global TV event in history.
Most of the world’s top politicians will attend, including US President Joe Biden. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will both be there.
State funerals are publicly funded. The nation’s last state funeral was for Winston Churchill in 1965, who was prime minister when the late monarch took the throne in 1952.
There have been notable – and costly – ceremonial funerals in the years since, which indicate just how costly the Queen’s funeral will be.
While the funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, last year was small due to his wishes and the coronavirus pandemic, the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002 was estimated to have cost £5.4 million ($A9.2m).
That included £825,000 ($A1.4 million) for the three-day lying-in-state and £4.3 million ($A7.4 million) for security, according to a House of Commons report. She was the last person in lie in state at Westminster Hall.
More than 11,800 police staff and 1200 civil staff were in operation from the day of her death to her funeral.
Prince Phillip’s private funeral had just 30 mourners and his request not to lie in state also reduced security costs.
Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 was estimated to have cost £5 million ($A8.5m). She also did not lie in state and instead laid to rest at St James’s Palace.
An estimated 2.5 billion people watched the funeral on television across the world.
Queen Elizabeth II will lie-in-state from 5pm on Wednesday until the morning of the funeral on Monday, open 24 hours a day.
Her coffin will be carried to Westminster Abbey for the funeral on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy.
Despite the Queen’s funeral being expected to cost more than $A9 million (as her mother’s did) it is unlikely to be the most expensive funeral in history.
That record is said to be held by Alexander the Great, who had a gold coffin and golden carriage.
In more recent times, Ronald Reagan’s funeral was reportedly estimated to have cost $US400m ($A593m) in 2004.
Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005 and the conclave, election and inauguration of the papacy of Pope Benedict was estimated to cost 8.9 million euros ($A13.2m).
The Royal Family receive government funding, called the sovereign grant, to support royal duties “such as receptions and garden parties” and to cover “running costs”, which include travel and building maintenance. In 2020/21 the monarchy received a sovereign grant of £86 million ($A146.8m).
However, general security costs, Metropolitan Police costs for events and local government logistical costs such as road closures are not covered by the grant and are paid for by the government.
Speaking to News Corp Australia, staunch royalists said the Queen deserved a grand funeral after serving the UK for 70 years, while anti-royalists were horrified given so many Brits were struggling with the cost of living.
Brits on both sides pointed out the money the country made through tourism linked to the royals.
“She deserves it. Maybe not for any future monarch but she has certainly earned £5 million. It’s nothing to the budget,” Susan Dinger, 63, said.
Caroline Krauza, 58, agreed, saying: “I know we’re all struggling in this time but she was our Queen, so money well spent.”
Millie Davies, 20, who believed the monarchy was outdated, said she disagreed with the spending but it was just “a drop in the ocean”.
“It’s a bit ridiculous, I think that money could be put to better use but for years we’ve been spending that money on royal weddings, royal events, running of the royal household – one more expense is fine,” she said.
Mates Louis Burn and Charlie Jones, both 24, had differing opinions.
Mr Jones described the spending as “ridiculous” while Mr Burn said he couldn’t complain because he got a day off work.
“They probably earn more for us than it will cost,” he added.
Mr Burns wasn’t the only one to point out the money earned through tourism linked to the royals.
“I’ve got friends all over the world and one of the first things they want to do is go to see Buckingham Palace,” Nicola Toledo Gonzalez, 49, said. “While yes it’s a lot of money, I think it’s still a big part of who we are and brings a lot of tourism in.”
Jane Collins, 64, said she had mixed feelings.
“A state funeral’s always going to cost that amount of money so personally I’m OK with it but I can understand people who are struggling how they must feel,” she said.
Chenille Mason, 22, it was a “slap in the face” for Brits struggling.
“I think it’s laughable and not really fair on the people that can’t choose if they want to eat tea or sleep warm at night,” she said.
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