Queen Elizabeth II has declined to pay for the restoration of Windsor Castle that was badly damaged in a fire, and the public will have to cover the entire cost, a British newspaper said Sunday.
The Observer said the Royal Household has denied reports that it is willing to pay up to $14 million toward the cost of the restoration, which could run up to $58 million.A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the queen had made no statement to suggest she would pay for any repairs to the castle.
"It is a consequence of the government's policy not to insure government-owned buildings," the newspaper quoted him as saying.
Windsor Castle, which was not insured and is one of Britain's biggest tourist attractions outside London, is regarded as state property. Much of the northeast wing of the castle, the queen's favorite, was destroyed in the Nov. 20 blaze.