INTERNATIONAL
Queen Elizabeth's funeral costs British Government US$200 million
Royal guards march outside Horse Guards building ahead of the State Funeral Service of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Britain, Sept. 19, 2022. File pic by Alkis Konstantinidis/Pool Photo via AP
LONDON: The funeral and associated events honouring Queen Elizabeth II, which took place during a period of national mourning, incurred an estimated cost of British pound GBP162 million (nearly US$200 million) to the government, the Treasury said Thursday.
The state funeral was held on Sept 19 last year, 11 days after the Queen's passing, reported Anadolu Agency.
During this period, hundreds of thousands of people visited Westminster to pay their respects as she lay in state.
The Home Office accounted for the highest expenditure at GBP74 million, followed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport at GBP57 million. The costs encompassed various aspects of the funeral, including the Queen's lying-in-state as well as other related events leading up to it.
John Glen, the chief secretary to the Treasury, emphasised that the government's primary focus during this time was to ensure the smooth execution of these events, maintaining an appropriate level of dignity while prioritising public safety and security.
-- BERNAMA
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