Monday, June 1, 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

Coquitlam Mounties investigate fatal stabbing

Coquitlam Mounties investigate fatal stabbing
They say in a release that the female victim was located Thursday around 4:30 p.m. in an underground parkade in the 1100-block of Austin Avenue. Police say she was rushed to hospital for treatment of stab wounds but was pronounced dead a short time later.

Coquitlam Mounties investigate fatal stabbing

Teck says weather, COVID-19 hitting results

Teck says weather, COVID-19 hitting results
Teck said steelmaking coal sales for the fourth quarter came in at 5.1 million tonnes, below the 5.2 million to 5.7 million tonnes in its revised guidance it issued Dec. 5 after the record rainfall in B.C. that knocked out rail and road infrastructure.

Teck says weather, COVID-19 hitting results

DARPAN 10 with Douglas Porter, Chief Economist, BMO Financial Group

DARPAN 10 with Douglas Porter, Chief Economist, BMO Financial Group
I have been an economist, working on Bay Street in Toronto, since the early 1980s. I now lead a team that provides analysis and forecasts on numerous economic and financial indicators, such as interest rates, economic growth, unemployment, housing, exchange rates, and, of course, inflation. 

DARPAN 10 with Douglas Porter, Chief Economist, BMO Financial Group

Postal workers can wear N95s — with a mask on top

Postal workers can wear N95s — with a mask on top
Some postal service employees doing tasks with a greater risk of catching COVID-19 — for example working in a pair to unload a van inside — are being given N95 masks, but a "fit test by a qualified professional" is required before they can be worn.

Postal workers can wear N95s — with a mask on top

Surprise new documents identified in James case

Surprise new documents identified in James case
Crown prosecutor David Butcher told Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes that he learned of two new sets of documents relevant to the case during an interview Wednesday night with Hilary Woodward, executive financial officer at the legislature.    

Surprise new documents identified in James case

2,033 COVID19 cases for Thursday

2,033 COVID19 cases for Thursday
There are 29,556 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 284,832 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 977 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 141 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation

2,033 COVID19 cases for Thursday