Cost of British royal family rising: accounts

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

LONDON (AFP) — Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family cost British taxpayers 66 pence (0.83 euros, 1.31 dollars) per person last year, according to official accounts released Friday.

The 40-million-pound total from the year to March 31 is up from 37.3 million the previous year and represents an increase of four pence per British taxpayer on that figure.

The sum includes royal travel and the civil list -- the money used to cover the cost of the queen's official duties -- and officials explained the rise by saying there had been a backlog of renovation works at royal palaces.

"Expenditure on royal travel, which will vary from year to year, also increased in response to the number of overseas visits undertaken at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth...