Queen wanted poverty fund to help pay palace heating bill

A GOVERNMENT fund intended to provide subsidised heating to low-income Britons got some interest from an unexpected source: Queen Elizabeth II, who wanted help paying the bills at Buckingham Palace.

The official response, according to documents unearthed by The Independent newspaper in London, was that the handout might prove to be an embarrassment if word got out. The paper quotes an unnamed functionary as gently reminding the royal household that the money was meant for local authorities, housing associations, and the like.

The newspaper said royal aides were looking for a way to pay the queen’s spiralling utility bills, which had risen by 50% to £1 million (€1.2m) in 2004.