Each year the Royal Family carries out almost 3,000 official engagements around the United Kingdom and overseas.

Up until 31 March 2012, the Royal Household received annual funding to meet the costs of official travel through the Department for Transport. The majority of Royal Travel expenditure pays for The Queen’s helicopter and charter and scheduled fix-wing aircraft.

Up until 31 March 2012, a separate grant was voted by Parliament each year, through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, to cover the upkeep of the Royal residencies. These are: Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace, Clarence House, Marlborough House Mews, the residential and office areas of Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and the buildings in the Home and Great Parks at Windsor, and Hampton Court Mews and Paddocks. The money was used to meet the cost of maintenance and some utilities.

From 1 April 2012 the Grant-in-Aid provided through the Department for Transport and Department for Culture, Media and Sport was consolidated within the Sovereign Grant provided through HM Treasury.