The national mourning and funeral of Queen Elizabeth in the United Kingdom last September cost British taxpayers 161.7 million pounds (186 million euros), according to figures released by the Treasury on Thursday.
After the Queen died at the age of 96 at her Scottish castle in Balmoral on September 8, her coffin was transported to Edinburgh before it was displayed to the public in Westminster Hall, the oldest chamber in the British Parliament, for five days.
Hundreds of thousands gathered to pay their respects.
Then the official funeral was held on September 19 at Westminster Abbey in London, in the presence of two thousand invitees, including hundreds of foreign dignitaries and leaders, then in Windsor, where the Queen lies beside her husband, Prince Philip.
A written statement sent to Parliament by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Glenn, said the total cost was estimated at 161,743 million pounds.
He emphasized that “the government’s priority was for these events to go smoothly (…) while ensuring the public’s safety.”
The largest bill goes to the Ministry of the Interior at 73.68 million pounds (approximately 85 million euros). Thousands of police have been deployed across the UK during ten days of national mourning.
The Ministry of Culture and Information comes in second place with 57.42 million pounds (66.2 million euros), ahead of the Scottish government (18.75 million pounds or 21.6 million euros).
Official figures have not yet been revealed for the coronation ceremony of King Charles III, which took place on May 6.
But the anti-monarchist group Republic estimated its cost at least 100 million pounds (115 million euros).
The financing of these celebrations is supported in the largest part by British taxpayers, who are facing a crisis in the cost of living while inflation exceeds 10 percent.
