British taxpayers` funding of Queen rises to $68.5 mln a year
Queen Elisabeth II is getting increasingly expensive to British taxpayers, with state funding up by about 4% to 41.5 million pounds ($68.5 million) over the past year, the Royal Family said in a report on Monday.
Under an annual financial report, every Briton annually currently spends 69 pence ($1.14) on the maintenance of the Royal family, while the sum was 66 pence ($1.09) last year.
The Queen receives the annual payment of 7.9 million pounds ($13 million) from the government to perform her duties as head of state. The sum covers visits, the participation of the Queen and Prince Philip in official events, and wages to Palace employees.
Elisabeth II is also granted 15 million pounds ($24.7 million) annually to maintain her residences.
However, the Royal Household is seeking some 32 million pounds ($52.8 million) for the maintenance of the palaces.
Meanwhile, the Treasury and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which oversees the maintenance of the royal palaces, warned that the Queen was likely to face a cut in spending amid the current economic crisis.
Government spending on the Royal Family has to be reviewed by December 2010. The issue is expected to be discussed soon after the next parliamentary polls slated to be held by May 2010.
The parliamentary spending watchdog published a report earlier in June saying it had failed to obtain an independent expert confirmation of royal spending.
The Queen also rejected in June a recommendation from MPs to raise funds by opening Buckingham Palace to tourists year-round.
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