Is the Royal Family good value for money?

Spending by the Queen as head of state has increased by 1% to £35.3m a year, new figures reveal.

An annual report of Civil List expenditure has been published for the first time, as part of the Royal Household's commitment to openness and accountability in its use of public money.

For the first time, members of the public can look at the spending of the royal household annually - instead of every 10 years.

Despite the small rise, the annual spending by the Queen has reduced considerably since 1991-92 when she spent £84.6m.

The Palace accounts show that the Queen received a Civil List payment of taxpayers' money of £8,153,000 in 2001 compared with £6,509,000 in 2000.

Do you think the Royal Family is good value for money?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your reaction

I have never seen any evidence of her presence attracting people to visit this country

Mark, UK

Why do the pro-royalists constantly drone on about the supposed 'tourism' that the Royal Family bring to this country as though this is some sort of undisputed fact? While the Queen may serve in some capacity as an ambassador while abroad, I have never seen any evidence of her presence attracting people to visit this country.
Mark, UK

They're worth their weight in gold. The amount of money that they bring into the country in the way of tourist sterling outweighs the cost to the people of the UK. You should be proud of the Royal Family, just look at my neighbours to the south and compare the difference.
Sandra Powis, Canada

Seems rather expensive just for a soap opera for everyone, it's not even realistic!
Stephen, UK

It's lucky they give all that money to the Queen as I wouldn't know where to start spending £35m. I'd probably waste it all by giving it to charity or something.
Mark, England

It looks like most of the complaints are based on petty jealousy

Bill Carter, USA

The British Royal Family has only a tiny fraction of the wealth owned by the Queen of the Netherlands, yet you don't hear the Dutch whining about it. It looks like most of the complaints are based on petty jealousy. Get over it. There are many people who have much greater fortunes who have done much less to earn them.
Bill Carter, USA

If you think a royal family is expensive why not have a look at the cost of a president? I wonder what it costs to keep a couple of purpose built 747s and a fleet of military helicopters handy?
Chris Hann, USA

If we keep the Royals, it should be on a far more limited budget. Much of the bureaucracy surrounding them is pointless and self-perpetuating and needs to be severely pruned.
Kaz, USA, via UK

Sure they're value for money! An ongoing soap opera, a tourist attraction, an endless source of daft non-PC quotes and topics to bitch about, a reason for people to still call us "quaint", an occasional reason to bring the nation together... who could complain? And who really believes the president (etc) of a dull republican system would be any less costly? Keep the system strong, pare off the minor leechy royals and where's the problem?
David Meyer, EU

They most certainly are NOT good value for money. The Queen has private wealth of over £250 Million. Would any Royalists care to explain how she "earned" that? That's one hell of a paper round! She also owns vast acreages of land, thus perpetuating the land shortage and subsequent housing deficit in this country. Ask first time buyers how they feel about land shortages. I believe at least some of her estates are in receipt of large agricultural subsidies from the EU, so at least it's not just us that are paying through the nose for this primitive anachronism.
Republican, UK

The cost is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the money spent on far less worthy causes

John Adams, England

Absolutely worth it! The cost is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the money spent on far less worthy causes and the tourism and financial returns the Royal Family generates. If the country is that desperate for £35m it's in a worse state than I imagined. A small price to pay.
John Adams, England

I can't understand why people moan about a pathetic 35.5 million far more money is spent on less worthy things everyday. For instance the millennium dome, which people seem to have forgotten about the billions that swallowed up. At least the Royal family are a part of our heritage and continue to be outstanding ambassadors for the UK.
Franc, UK

How can giving a family millions to perpetuate their lavish lifestyle, solely because of historical precedent be "value for money"?
Derek, UK

The Royal Family are worth every penny - great countries like America wish they had one and after seeing the spectacle on the Queen's Jubilee - it made proud to be British - we should see the flag more often.
Mera, Britain

The Queen is in fact very good value for money. But that doesnt mean she should remain as the head of state. The monarchy is a historical anachronism. It should be taken out of the constitution and into a museum. Let the government spend money on the monarchy - it might be useful for tourism, but the monarch has no place in government.
Nikolai, Edinburgh, Scotland

Yes, Yes and Yes. We should concentrate more on supporting the Royal family as opposed to trying to put them down all the time. It shouldn't matter how much money the Royals spend. So many countries would love to have there own monarchy and that is something no amount of money can buy!
Matt, UK

I have nothing against the Royal Family but I think that the amount of public money given to them is obsene. Considering the Queen has a substantial personal fortune it seems ridiculous to continue topping this up. I am sure that the money, or at least some of it could be better spent reducing poverty nationally or internationally.
Craig Fleming, UK