Queen Elizabeth's funeral cost £162 million, official figures show

18 May 2023, 17:28

The Queen's funeral and lying in state cost £162 million
The Queen's funeral and lying in state cost £162 million. Picture: Getty/Alamy

By Kit Heren

Queen Elizabeth's funeral and lying-in-state cost an estimated £161.7 million, official figures show.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The figures, which were published by the Treasury on Thursday as part of a written statement to parliament, cover the period from the Queen's death on September 8 to her funeral in London on September 19.

Downing Street said the cost was to make sure the funeral ran smoothly, and so mourners from the UK and across the world could visit and take part safely.

"Of course, a major international event of this scale, we wanted to ensure that we could enable people to pay their respects," a No 10 spokesman said.

The largest cost was reported by the Home Office at £73.7 million, followed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at £57.4 million.

Listen and subscribe to Unprecedented: Inside Downing Street on Global Player

King Charles III and members of the royal family follow behind the coffin of the Queen
King Charles III and members of the royal family follow behind the coffin of the Queen. Picture: Getty

Other costs include £2.9 million by the Ministry of Defence, £2.6 million by the Department for Transport, £2.2 million by the Welsh Government and £2.1 million by both the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Northern Ireland Office.

Read more: Who was in attendance at the Queen's state funeral? The royal family members who payed their respects to the Queen

Read more: Marr: Queen's funeral was for the monarchy, for Britain and for the lonely and bereaved

The Treasury said that the costs include "fully refunding" the Scottish and Welsh Governments, and the Northern Ireland Office, "which in turn they were able to repay to partners who also incurred costs".

Queen Elizabeth died in September last year
Queen Elizabeth died in September last year. Picture: Alamy

The full costs are:

  • Department for Culture, Media & Sport - £57.42m
  • Department for Transport - £2.565m
  • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - £2.096m
  • Home Office - £73.68m
  • Ministry of Defence - £2.890m
  • Northern Ireland Office - £2.134m
  • Scottish Government - £18.756m
  • Welsh Government - £2.202m

The funeral for the Queen, who died on September 8 last year, was broadcast on terrestrial TV and digital services, and on air and streamed online to billions of viewers.

There was a national bank holiday in the UK to allow as many people as possible to watch the ceremony.

The coffin was taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster, where hundreds of thousands of people had queued to pay their respects, to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral.

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort follow behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is carried into St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle
King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort follow behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is carried into St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Picture: Getty

Senior members of the family followed behind like they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The military lined the streets and also joined the procession. Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life were invited to gather in the abbey, which holds a congregation of 2,000.

After the service, the coffin was taken in procession from the abbey to Wellington Arch and then to Windsor.

Once there, the hearse travelled in procession to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle via the Long Walk, after which a televised committal service took place in St George’s Chapel.

Later in the evening, there was a private interment service with senior members of the royal family.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Donald Trump nominates Pam Bondi for attorney general hours after Matt Gaetz withdraws

Starmer has backed the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrant for Netanyahu

Netanyahu faces arrest if he travels to Britain as Starmer vows to enforce International Criminal Court warrant

Yvette Cooper has branded the Rwanda scheme a "complete con."

Yvette Cooper to crack down on anti-social behaviour with new 'respect orders' as repeat offenders face jail time

King Charles III And Queen Camilla on Coronation Day

King Charles' coronation cost taxpayer £72 million, report reveals

Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City

Pep Guardiola signs two-year contract extension with Manchester City

Captain Tom's Daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore

Behaviour at Captain Tom charity left ex-boss 'gobsmacked'

Armed robbers attempted to break into the star's Sunderland home.

Masked machete-wielding robbers break into Charlotte Crosby's home while she is upstairs with two-year-old daughter

Police have released new CCTV of Harshita Brella and her husband

Chilling CCTV released of Harshita Brella and prime murder suspect husband on night she was killed

First photos of Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special as James Corden and Ruth Jones mark triumphant finale

First photos of Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special as James Corden and Ruth Jones mark show's triumphant finale

King Charles performs a Hongi, a traditional Maori greeting, with Mere Takoko

King Charles shares traditional Maori nose rub greeting with activist as he launches environmental charity

Putin issued a chilling threat to the West as he confirmed Russia launched a ballistic missile against Ukraine

Putin issues chilling warning to UK and US as he confirms Russia hit Ukraine with new 'experimental' ballistic missile

Telegraph writer Allison Pearson.

Police drop investigation into journalist Allison Pearson over tweet - as review to be launched over handling of case

Exclusive
Angela Rayner has paid tribute to John Prescott

Angela Rayner says John Prescott 'used to call her after PMQs to remind her to stay true to who she is'

Four men have been arrested accused of attempting to rob a mobile phone store

Undercover police arrest four men after EE shop raided by masked gang

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Donald Trump Watches SpaceX Launch Its Sixth Test Flight Of Starship Spacecraft

Elon Musk pledges to fire civil servants who work from home