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The most expensive celebrity funerals

Last updated 24th June 2024 by the SunLife Content Team
4 min read

We’ve seen some seriously expensive celebrity funerals over the years, from presidents of the United States to the King of Rock.

After leading such lavish lifestyles whilst alive, there’s no wonder they had equally extravagant funerals.

Here’s just a few of the most expensive celebrity funerals to date.

1. Ronald Reagan – $400 million

In 2004 the United States' beloved president, Ronald Reagan, died.

His casket was laid in the U.S Capitol for two days, and over 200,000 mourners came to pay their respects. The public funeral was held at Washington National Cathedral before a private burial in California.

Reagan’s funeral lasted a full 7 days. But that’s not why it was so expensive.

George W. Bush declared a national day of mourning. This closed the stock markets and gave federal employees the day off. It caused internal expenses to skyrocket, making it the most expensive funeral ever.

2. Queen Elizabeth II – £162 million

Queen Elizabeth II died on 8th September 2022, aged 96. When her death was announced, the UK started 10 days of national mourning. Her funeral was held on the 11th day.

Queues to pay respects to the coffin were more than 24 hours long at one point, snaking for seven miles through central London. High logistical and security costs were needed to manage this safely.

The funeral was the first state funeral since Sir Winston Churchill’s in 1965. It was held at Westminster Abbey and attended by over 2,000 mourners. It also drew huge international attention and was watched by millions across the world.

3. John F. Kennedy – $15 million

The world was shocked when US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Many people remember it vividly today.

JFK was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. The burial plot alone cost $13 million, so there’s no wonder his entire funeral cost a total of $15 million.

4. Princess Diana – £5 million

In the early hours of 31st August 1997, Princess Diana of Wales died after a car crash in Paris. Her sudden death affected millions around the world, with seas of flowers and shrines to commemorate her everywhere.

She was given a form of ceremonial royal funeral, despite no longer being married to the then-Prince Charles. Policing costs alone for the day came to around £2.2 million. And the total cost was estimated between £3 and £5 million pounds. That would be over £9 million today.

5. The Queen Mother – £5.4 million

The Queen Mother, mother of the late Queen Elizabeth II, died in 2002 at the great age of 101. It was televised, and many mourned as she was given a ceremonial funeral in London’s Westminster Abbey.

Her lying in state alone cost £825,000, whilst policing efforts for the day cost roughly £4.3 million.

6. Pope John Paul II – €9 million

Pope John Paul II was one of the most influential religious figures in recent history. He is credited with helping to end the cold war and improve relations between the Catholic church and other faiths.

In 2005, his death and funeral brought together a huge gathering of leading figures. His funeral lasted seven days and came to 9 million euros overall.

7. Margaret Thatcher – £1.2 million

Baroness Margaret Thatcher died in 2013, 23 years after her time as UK Prime Minister. The funeral cost £1.2 million, but it had been expected to cost around £1.6 million. The fee for the St. Paul’s Cathedral service alone was £67,908.

Thatcher divided opinions in the country. So there was also a hefty spend on security to protect the service from protesters.

8. Michael Jackson – $1 million

Universal pop icon, Michael Jackson, died on 25th June 2009. His extravagant memorial was held twelve days later, but his body was not buried for weeks. He was laid to rest at Los Angeles' Forest Lawn Cemetery, at a cost of $855,730.

His casket was named ‘The Promethean’. It was made from solid bronze and cost $25,000 alone. It was plated with 14 carat gold and lined with blue velvet.

He was buried with some of his most treasured items, including his iconic white gloves. His family even had his casket entombed in concrete so it could not be disturbed.

9. Elvis Presley – $25,000

The King of Rock was announced dead at the young age of 42 on August 16th 1977. Less than 24 hours later, over 80,000 people watched as a single white hearse took Elvis to his resting place in Memphis.

Although it may not sound like a lot, Elvis’s funeral cost the family just under $25,000 (translating to almost $130,000 in today's money).

Preparing for the cost of a funeral

Not everyone needs (or wants!) the most expensive funeral to commemorate their life. A funeral is for loved ones and family members to pay their respects and share fond words. But it can also be a place to celebrate and toast to a life.

Whatever the funeral you desire, over 50s life insurance can help your family to cover the cost should you pass away.

If you’re starting to think about what you might want for your own funeral, our free My Perfect Send Off tool is a great place to start.

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