Tuesday, May 19, 2026
ADVT 
National

PM stayed in $6k London suite for royal funeral

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Mar, 2023 05:07 PM
  • PM stayed in $6k London suite for royal funeral

OTTAWA - The Prime Minister's Office says Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, stayed in a $6,000 per night hotel suite while attending the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II.

The stay at the Corinthia London hotel became the subject of public debate last fall when media honed in on the details of the $400,000 trip, after obtaining documents through access-to-information requests.

But Trudeau's office and Global Affairs Canada did not respond to questions last month about who stayed in the expensive river suite, which features a butler service.

Opposition MPs on the government operations committee asked for a copy of all receipts and invoices associated with the trip last month.

The room was booked on Sept. 9, one day after the Queen's death, for Sept. 15 to 20.

In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office says hotel prices surged significantly ahead of the funeral, and many London hotels were sold out as 500 heads of state and their delegations descended on the city.

The hotel's website currently lists the suite at 5,154 British pounds per night, higher than the 4,800 pounds the government was charged in September.

A night in the river suite next month would come out to more than $8,000 at the current exchange rate.

The Prime Minister's Office did not immediately respond to questions about the higher prices and why the government chose this particular hotel.

Documents released through access-to-information requests note that the booking was for a three-bed suite. The hotel's website says it has one king-sized bed but there are "connecting rooms available on request."

In November, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre peppered Trudeau with questions in the House of Commons about who stayed in the suite, but he didn't answer.

"The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a significant event for Canadians. Canada was represented by former prime ministers and governors general to pay their respects to the monarch who oversaw almost half of Canada’s time as an independent country," said a press secretary for Trudeau in a written statement Thursday.

MORE National ARTICLES

One man dead following police-involved shooting

One man dead following police-involved shooting
Vancouver police say they were responding to an alleged assault inside an apartment near Commercial Drive and Fifth Avenue. There was an exchange of gunfire with a man in his 40s and Const. Tania Visintin says the man died.    

One man dead following police-involved shooting

Nearly 1,000 troops denied vaccine exemptions

Nearly 1,000 troops denied vaccine exemptions
The Canadian military says nearly 1,000 members have been denied exemptions from the military's COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Vice-chief of the defence staff Lt.-Gen. Frances Allen says more than 1,300 members of the Canadian Armed Forces requested exemptions for medical or religious reasons.

Nearly 1,000 troops denied vaccine exemptions

Sunwing party flight passengers fined $59,500

Sunwing party flight passengers fined $59,500
Omar Alghabra's office says 42 tickets were issued, including 18 for non-compliance with vaccination requirements and 24 for violations of masking rules.

Sunwing party flight passengers fined $59,500

Vancouver's empty homes tax to jump to 5 per cent

Vancouver's empty homes tax to jump to 5 per cent
Councillors have unanimously backed a motion from Mayor Kennedy Stewart to hike the empty homes tax to five per cent of a property's assessed value, effective next year.

Vancouver's empty homes tax to jump to 5 per cent

Richmond RCMP warn public of fake taxi / debit card scam

Richmond RCMP warn public of fake taxi / debit card scam
The unsuspecting victim then provides the driver with a debit card to pay for the transaction electronically. The driver then claims the tap function on his electronic payment machine does not work. He then takes the victim’s card, pretends to make a transaction, has the victim put in their PIN number, and gives a bogus card back to the victim. 

Richmond RCMP warn public of fake taxi / debit card scam

Four people arrested at Boundary Road & Grandview Highway demonstration

Four people arrested at Boundary Road & Grandview Highway demonstration
Several demonstrators left the area upon police arrival; however, one man and three women, including one who glued herself to the road, were arrested for Mischief and Intimidation by blocking or obstructing a highway.

Four people arrested at Boundary Road & Grandview Highway demonstration