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Editorial

Forget Nicholas Biwott’s casket, world’s most expensive funerals!

  • PublishedJuly 17, 2017

Lets face it; first impressions matter at a lot but a last impression can leave a lasting mark! Why else is the Internet blowing up about the supposed Kshs.10 million casket for the late government minister Nicholas Biwott? Apparently, it’s golden to symbolize his status and bulletproof to protect his body. Whether true or not, tycoons, politicians and celebrities have been doing this throughout time but Biwott’s $100K budget is nothing compared to some of the world’s most expensive funerals.

1. Alexander the great – $600Million.

It is alleged by some that the monarch of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon and was preserved in a vat of honey and encased in glass, while other historical depictions show that he was placed inside an elaborate gold sarcophagus, which was encased in a gold casket.

2. Ronald Wilson Reagan – $400 Million.

He had served as America’s 40th president for 2 terms. On the day of his burial, or the United States’ official Day of Mourning, stock markets closed, federal workers given the day off and media outlets focused on nothing but the funeral services, which stuck the tax payer with a $400million bill (for a federal vacation day) sending heads spinning. If you add to that amount the estimated costs for state services, security and cost to networks, some speculate that the total expenses related to Reagan’s funeral may have reached as high as $800 million or even $1 billion.

3. John F. Kennedy$40Million.

The beloved American president who got assassinated while in office also makes it on this list. According to The Museum of Broadcast Communications, networks lost approximately $40 million dollars in profits associated with regular commercials and television programming.

4. Pope John Paul II – $8Million

The late Pope John Paul II was an extremely popular figure of the Catholic Church. The attendance at his funeral was over 3 million, making it one of the largest recorded funerals. As dignitaries and pilgrims came from all over the world, extra security measures had to be taken.

5. Princess Diana. – $11.9 million

Talk about a royal funeral! Beloved by people worldwide, she received a great state funeral. The 4-mile funeral procession brought over 1 million people along the route, and over 2 billion people tuned in worldwide to watch on TV.

6. Michael Jackson – $1Million.

So his funeral wasn’t as costly as JFK’s but he did have a special golden casket. Expenses included a crypt that cost $500K and funeral clothes that cost around $35K. The extravagant funeral matched the King of Pop’s over-the-top personality.

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