Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and related events cost the government an estimated £162m, the Treasury said.
The state funeral, held on September 19, 2022, followed a period of national mourning.
During that time, hundreds of thousands of people visited Westminster, where the monarch lay in state.
The largest costs were covered by the Home Office (£74m) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (£57m).
The estimated costs, published by the Treasury, have to do with the queen’s funeral and other related events, including the monarch’s wake.
John Glen, chief secretary of the Treasury, said the government’s priority at the time had been to ensure that “these events proceed smoothly and with the right level of dignity, while ensuring the safety of the public at all times.”
In a written ministerial statement made to Parliament, Glen said the Treasury had provided additional funding where needed and the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments were “fully” reimbursed for their respective costs.
Estimated costs include:
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport – £57.42 million
- Department for Transport – £2.565m
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: £2.096 million
- Home Office: £73.68 million
- Ministry of Defense – £2.890m
- Northern Ireland Office: £2.134 million
- Scottish Government – £18.756m
- Welsh Government: £2.202 million
- Total – £161.743 million
After Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96, the UK entered 10 days of national mourning.
People lined up in London at all hours of the day, often in frigid temperatures, to pay their respects, including David Beckham.
The waiting time in one stage was estimated to be more than 24 hours; and the tail meandered from Westminster Hall, along the River Thames and stretched south for nearly seven miles (11 km).
The scale of the state funeral and mourning arrangements led to what police described at the time as “probably the biggest operation we are likely to launch in the UK”.
Members of the 2,000-strong congregation included the Queen’s great-grandchildren, then Prime Minister Liz Truss and US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill.
It was the first state funeral since Sir Winston Churchill’s in 1965 and the largest ceremonial event since World War II.
After the funeral, the Queen’s coffin traveled in a procession to Wellington Arch and then on its final journey to Windsor Castle and the burial service.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II was followed by 10 days of national mourning
The cost was used to facilitate the smooth running of the event and ensure mourners from the UK and around the world could visit and participate safely, Downing Street said.
“Of course, a large international event of this scale, we wanted to make sure we could allow people to pay their respects,” a No 10 spokesperson added.
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