A pretty penny. The British government has revealed the total cost of executing Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral.
The country’s Treasury department announced in a Thursday, May 18, statement that they spent an estimated £161.7 million on the occasion, which amounts to approximately $204 million.
“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, the chief secretary of the Treasury, said in a written statement to Parliament, per Reuters.
The Home Office, which takes responsibility for policing and national security matters, had covered the largest portion of the funeral costs and paid £73.7 million pounds.
Buckingham Palace announced in September 2022 that Her Majesty died at age 96 after 70 years on the throne. Following Elizabeth’s death, the country observed a 12-day mourning period before her official memorial service. The queen’s casket laid in state in both Scotland and England so that residents could pay their respects. When the coffin arrived at London’s Westminster Hall, individuals — including David Beckham — waited in line for more than 12 hours to offer their condolences.
The late queen’s children — King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward — and her eight grandchildren mounted respective vigils at her casket’s side. The occasion, held on two separate days, marked the only time that the Duke of York, 63, and Prince Harry were able to wear their ceremonial military uniforms after their respective exits as senior working royals. (The Duke of Sussex, 38, took a step back alongside wife Meghan Markle in 2020 before they moved to California, while Andrew resigned from his post one year prior after being accused of sexual misconduct. He denied the allegations and settled out of court in February 2022.)
The royal family — including Harry and the Suits alum, 41, amid their estrangement — later came together for Elizabeth’s state funeral on September 19, 2022. Following a procession and a service at Westminster Abbey, the queen was laid to rest during a committal service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
As the royals continued to mourn and honor Elizabeth’s legacy, her son Charles, 74, immediately assumed the British throne. The king’s coronation was held eight months later in May.
“As my grandmother said when she was crowned, ‘Coronations are a declaration of our hopes for the future.’ And I know she’s up there, fondly keeping an eye on us. She would be a proud mother,” Prince William said of the late queen and his father during the festive Coronation Concert earlier this month. “For all that celebrations are magnificent, at the heart of the pageantry is a simple message. Service. My father’s first words on entering Westminster Abbey yesterday were a pledge of service. It was a pledge to continue to serve. Because for over 50 years, in every corner of the U.K., across the Commonwealth and around the world, he has dedicated himself to serve others, both current and future generations, and those whose memory must not be neglected.”
