The Royal Family's most expensive overseas tours
The Royal Family's most expensive overseas tours - £130k for William in Saudi Arabia
The Royal Family are no strangers to an expensive holiday, here are the top five most expensive trips taken by the family and their staff.
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Add us as preferred source Comments By Aditi Rane, Reporter 10:36, Fri, Jun 26, 2026 Updated: 10:38, Fri, Jun 26, 2026 
Prince William's official visit to Saudi Arabia has been revealed as the Royal Family's most expensive overseas trip of the past year, according to newly published royal accounts.
The Prince of Wales's three-day diplomatic mission to the Gulf in February 2026 cost £130,106, making it the costliest foreign engagement undertaken by the monarchy during the latest financial year.
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Figures released in the Sovereign Grant Report show total royal travel expenditure reached £3.3 million in the 12 months to March 31, 2026, with overseas visits accounting for some of the biggest individual costs.
Here are the five most expensive royal overseas tours and international travel expenses of the year.
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1. Saudi Arabia – Prince William (£130,106)
Topping the list is Prince William's first official visit to Saudi Arabia, which cost £130,106.
The three-day trip took place in February 2026 and was undertaken on behalf of the UK Government. During the visit, the Prince of Wales met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of efforts to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between Britain and Saudi Arabia.
The total bill also included the cost of two advance planning visits by palace staff before William travelled to the Gulf.
2. Italy – King Charles and Queen Camilla (£126,946)
The second most expensive overseas visit was the King and Queen's four-day state visit to Italy, costing £126,946.
The tour, which took place in April 2025, included official engagements across Italy aimed at strengthening the UK's relationship with one of its closest European allies. The visit featured ceremonial events, meetings with Italian leaders and cultural engagements.
William's Saudi Arabia tour exceeded the cost of the state visit by just over £3,000.
3. Brazil – Prince William (£78,542)
Prince William also claimed the third spot after travelling to Belem, Brazil, for the COP30 climate summit in November 2025.
The two-day visit cost £78,542 and saw the future King continue his environmental work on the international stage, attending meetings linked to climate action and sustainability.
It marked William's second appearance in the top five most expensive overseas engagements.
4. Vatican City – King Charles and Queen Camilla (£75,371)
The fourth most expensive overseas tour was the King and Queen's official visit to the Vatican, costing £75,371.
The October 2025 visit saw King Charles meet Pope Leo XIV, with the two leaders praying together during a historic audience.
The engagement formed part of a wider visit to Rome and highlighted the close relationship between the British monarchy and the Holy See.
5. USA and Bermuda – Royal Household Staff (£66,060)
Rounding out the top five was not a royal tour itself, but an advance planning mission carried out by Royal Household staff.
The specialist preparatory visit to the United States and Bermuda cost £66,060 and took place in late February and early March 2026.
The expenditure covered reconnaissance and logistical planning ahead of a major royal visit. The cost of the tour itself has not yet been published and will instead appear in next year's Sovereign Grant accounts.
Overall, the Royal Household spent £3,316,024 on official travel during the financial year, while 37 individual journeys exceeded the reporting threshold of £20,000.
The accounts also reveal royal helicopter travel cost £733,063, covering 177 flights, while Buckingham Palace has confirmed the royal train will be retired by 2027 as part of efforts to reduce costs.
Among senior royals, King Charles undertook the highest number of reportable journeys, followed by the Princess Royal. Prince William completed four qualifying trips during the year, including two of the five most expensive overseas engagements.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
