The 5 grandest funeral plans of all time

How on earth do you make a funeral plan that’s fitting enough to celebrate the life of someone whose had a huge impact on the history of the world? They may have been a powerful and important political leader or a popular cultural icon. In this article you’ll find out some of the most lavish, grandiose and expensive memorial services to have ever have taken place

• Alexander the Great of Macedon. The ancient Macedonian King’s funeral cost a staggering $600 million dollars in today’s money! Alexander the Great was transported in a gold casket hauled by sixty horses across his vast empire, all the way from Babylon to Macedonia. Tens of thousands of people lined the streets in numerous to cities to pay their respects to the deceased leader. A rather fitting funeral plan indeed!

• Josep Tito. When the famous Yugoslav dictator died, the biggest memorial service at the time was organized. Tito’s body was transported around the states of Yugoslavia in a glass train carriage and leaders from both sides of the Cold War came together to pay their respects. Sporting events were cancelled across the country as the whole Yugoslav nation wept in grief for their beloved leader. The loss of Tito had grave implications for Yugoslavia as a whole. Only ten years after Tito’s death the country was embroiled in multiple costly wars of independence.

• Ronald Reagan. The former American President’s funeral plan cost a staggering $400 million! Federal employees all had a public holiday and even stock markets were closed - something which contributed towards the astronomical costs! Thousands of people visited Reagan’s casked on Capitol Hill before it was laid to rest at Washing National Cathedral. Following this four thousand people attended Ronald Reagan’s invite-only service to pay their respects to the deceased actor and President.  

• Michael Jackson. Initially the singer had a rather small private service, attended by handful of friends and family. Obviously this wasn’t fitting enough for the eccentric singer, so his funeral plan didn’t stop there! A huge memorial service took place twelve days after his death, which was attended by fellow music stars from around the world, some of which performed renditions of Jackson’s greatest solo hits and songs from his first band, The Jackson Five. The singer’s casket was solid bronze, plated in gold and lined with blue velvet. Snazzy!

• Princess Diana. When Princess Diana died, due to a car crash in Paris, she was no longer a member of the British Royal Family (following her divorce from the Prince of Wales years earlier), but was afforded a Royal funeral in Westminster Abbey anyway. The ‘people’s princess’ had a memorial service which attracted an estimated television audience of two and half billion people! Furthermore almost one million people then paid their respects along the route of her funeral procession. Quite a funeral plan!