Royal household spent £1.7m on food and drink last year

The royal family’s household spent £2.3million on official hospitality and housekeeping last year, including £1.7million on food and drink, royal accounts showed.

Some 240 receptions were held by the Master of the Household’s Department, as well as 158 lunches, nine garden parties and 75 dinners at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St James’s Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 2018-2019

About 160,000 guests were entertained at the residences during the 12-month period from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019.

Spending from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant included £1.7million on food and drink.

Cleaning and laundry and other items came to £600,000, while the wine and spirits bill was £400,000, with wine being held in stock to age.

Large-scale events hosted by the Queen included the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting opening ceremony in the Buckingham Palace ballroom in April and the state visit by the King of the Netherlands in October.

US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK took place in June 2019, so will be accounted for in next year’s financial report.

Buckingham Palace’s Sovereign Grant report showed that the royal household spent £3.8million on information technology, up £800,000 from the previous year, and £1.1million on printing, postage and stationery.

Official hospitality and housekeeping also cost £2.3 million in 2017-2018, while in 2016-2017, it was £2.2 million.

Large-scale events hosted by the Queen included the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting opening ceremony in the Buckingham Palace ballroom in April and the state visit by the King of the Netherlands in October (pictured)