The Treasury has confirmed that the Queen’s funeral and lying-in-state cost the government an estimated £162 million today (May 18) and I think it’s an absolute slap in the face amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Not that things are much better now, but back in September 2022, when the monarch died, Liz Truss was still Prime Minister. Inflation was beginning to soar then thanks to hers and Kwasi Kwarteng’s controversial budget.
While Rishi Sunak took over in October, things haven’t got much better. People froze in their homes over winter. Families are relying on food banks to keep fed and people are being forced to cancel their broadband to cut costs.
I understand that the Queen was a well-loved and popular monarch. I understand that her funeral was always going to be a major event. But for the current situation the UK is in – was it worth it? I’m not trying to blame the whole economic crisis on the funeral. But I don’t think I need to know a lot about finances to know a £162 million spend wouldn’t have helped.
The Queen’s funeral costs – do ordinary people deserve to suffer for one monarch?
Over 250,000 people saw the Queen lying-in-state. While I’m sure that was an incredible experience for those people, do the other offer 67 million people in the UK have to suffer for it? John Glen, chief secretary to the Treasury, said the government’s priority at the time had been to make sure “these events ran smoothly and with the appropriate level of dignity, while at all times ensuring the safety and security of the public”. So I’m sure that a lot of money had to be spent on security for these people to see the Queen’s coffin.
But when you think about all the other people in the UK who couldn’t attend the lying-in-state – even if they wanted to – I don’t think it’s fair that so much money was spent. The UK’s economy was still recovering from the pandemic. Then, hundreds of thousands of people buried their loved ones with a lot less pomp and circumstance might I add. I think the government should’ve done a lot more to cut spending on the Queen’s funeral. No matter how popular the monarch was.
Was it worth it?
The Queen’s Mother’s funeral back in 2022 reportedly cost around £5.4 million. I understand the security risks for the Queen’s funeral were higher, and the price of thins change, but it seems like £162 million is one hell of a jump in comparison.
You could argue that the Queen’s funeral was one of the biggest historical events of our time. Billions of people across the world watched. You could also argue that the royals bring in more than they spend. But we just haemorrhaged millions more on King Charles’ coronation. So I’m asking was it really worth it for so many others to suffer? Or is it finally time that public spending is cut down on royal events and dished out elsewhere?
It makes me angry to watch so many ordinary people suffer for one person, not matter how beloved they were.
I don’t know about you, but the local food bank near my home is busy every day with families coming in and out. It breaks my heart to see it. Local businesses are shutting down everywhere. I know the Queen was so loved. But I’m sorry – it makes me angry to watch so many ordinary people suffer for one person, not matter how beloved they were.
The government’s energy cost payment has stopped for most people. People are really suffering. To me, it doesn’t feel like prices are falling. This cost-of-living crisis doesn’t seem like its ending any time soon. There’s nothing we can do now that £162 million is spent. But for the next big royal event, I think we should all take a long hard look at the state of the country and decide – is it really worth it?
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