Queen Elizabeth II faces a long wait for repairs to the roof of Buckingham Palace, unless the government there steps in and throws in some extra cash, according to royal accounts.
The Queen's treasurer, Alan Reid, said that a backlog of "essential" maintenance would reach 40 million pounds ($76.7 million CDN) during the next decade if there is no increase in annual funding.
Key projects that are facing at least a ten-year wait include the renewal of lead and slate roofs and the refurbishment of state rooms at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. In addition to that, replacements to the palace's heating and electricity services, as well as the replacement of aging cast iron and lead Victorian water mains at the castle are going to have to wait ten years or longer.
But, with Britain suffering its most severe economic downturn for 60 years, extra taxpayer funds to cover the cost of the Royal Family's repairs may be difficult for the government to justify, let alone perform.
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