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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Michael Howie

Queen Elizabeth’s funeral cost the Government £161.7million, Treasury reveals

Queen’s Elizabeth’s funeral and related events cost the Government £161.7million, the Treasury revealed on Thursday.

After Britain’s longest-reigning monarch died aged 96 on September 8 last year, the country entered 10 days of national mourning which concluded with her state funeral.

During that time Elizabeth’s coffin lay at rest in Edinburgh Cathedral before being moved to London, where an estimated 250,000 people queued for hours to file past her coffin at Westminster Hall during the lying-in-state.

Her successor, King Charles, also embarked on a tour of Britain's four nations along with then-prime minister Liz Truss.

“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,” John Glen, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said in a written statement to parliament.

The Home Office, which has responsibility for policing and national security, accounted for the biggest portion of the total, with costs of £73.7 million.

The Metropolitan Police said at the time the funeral was the biggest policing event in its history, with dignitaries from across the globe in attendance.

The second largest cost was reported by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (£57.4 million), followed by the Scottish Government (£18.8 million).

Other costs were: Ministry of Defence £2.9 million; Department for Transport £2.6 million; Welsh Government £2.2 million; Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office £2.1 million; and the Northern Ireland Office £2.1 million.

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