The Civil List

The Civil List is taxpayer's money used to fund the Queen's duties as head of state. It pays for the costs of staff and running the Official Household.

For the year 2001-2002, civil list spending came to £8.153m, an increase from £6.509m in 2000. But Buckingham Palace says that in real terms the expenditure represents a 1.3% saving after inflation.

The increase was met by transferring monies from a reserve established in 2000. Almost three-quarters of the Civil Lists costs are staff salaries with the equivalent of 284 full-time employees on the books.

Staffing costs

The responsibility for the Queen's household lies with the Lord Chamberlain, The Lord Luce. His committee includes four other senior managers.

The Queen's Private Secretary is Sir Robert Janvrin and Sir Michael Peat is the Keeper of the Privy Purse.

Master of the Household is Vice Admiral Tom Blackburn and the Comptroller is Lt. Col Sir Malcolm Ross.

Their salaries, set by civil service guidelines, are paid from the Civil List.

Food, drink and entertaining

Approximately 120 staff live within royal premises and have their meals paid for, provided their post is funded by the Civil List.

Wine and drink spending is for official purposes only, the Royal Accounts say. Surplus stock is sold to recover costs. Costs of entertaining at some events, such as diplomatic receptions, are recovered from elsewhere.

Garden parties cost almost £500,000 - £36,000 on administering invitations alone. One of the things that people most look forward to in the Queen is seeing a procession. But they don't come cheap.

The Queen keeps 37 carriage horses at the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace which are used for events including the state opening of Parliament. The annual bill for saddles comes to £9,000.

Other spending

Aside from entertaining, the Royal Household draws from the Civil List to pay for some of the more humdrum aspects of life.

Housekeeping remains one of the largest items, with £58,000 spent on a host of cleaning fluids, sprays and detergents in the last year. The Civil List paid for £61,000 of laundry costs and a further £17,000 of new linen.

Almost £50,000 was spent on repairs and purchases of equipment while another £84,000 went on computer equipment. Stationery costs have increased over the last year to just over £71,000.