Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and period of national mourning cost £162m, new figures show | Politics News

The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the subsequent period of mourning cost the UK government a total of £162m, according to the Treasury.

Her death on 8 September 2022 triggered 10 days of national mourning that was then followed by a state funeral on 19 September.

During the period, hundreds of thousands of people made their way to London to pay their respects during her lying in state in Westminster Hall.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen said Queen Elizabeth II’s death was a “moment of huge national significance” and that the government had to ensure the surrounding events “ran smoothly and with the appropriate level of dignity, while at all times ensuring the safety and security of the public”.

A breakdown of costs provided by the government showed that the Home Office paid the greatest amount, at £74m, followed by Department for Culture, Media and Sport which covered £57.4m.

The Scottish government incurred costs of £18.8milion, while the Welsh government and Northern Ireland office paid about £2m each.

The Treasury said the Scottish and Welsh governments and the Northern Ireland office were fully refunded for their respective costs.

On 6 May, the King was coronated in Westminster Abbey alongside the Queen.