No public appetite for another costly royal wedding, say campaigners

The campaign group Republic has called for there to be no public funding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s wedding in October as it is revealed that security and policing costs are due to cost taxpayers over £2 million.

This follows suggestions that October’s wedding will closely resemble the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May, which is estimated to have cost the public around £35 million.

Republic’s YouGov poll showed the majority of the public had little interest in Harry and Meghan’s wedding, and would prefer the royals to pay for royal weddings themselves rather than committing taxes and public funds to these events.

A Republic spokesperson said: “The estimated £2 million for security is just the tip of the royal wedding iceberg.”

“Eugenie has chosen to wed in the same venue, to invite same number of guests and follow the same procession around Windsor as Harry and Meghan. We’re told this wedding will be cheaper than the last one, but it’s shaping up to look more like a £35 million extravaganza than a wedding fit for a minor royal.”

“This money could be better spent and the government should act now in the interest of taxpayers and public services by calling for spending to be limited.”

“The royals have shown time and time again that they can’t keep their royal wedding spending in check. Republic is calling on the government to publish a report of all costs to taxpayers so we know exactly how our money is being spent.”

“I wish Eugenie and Jack all the best on their special day, but a debate about taxpayer funding of the minor royals is long overdue. Eugenie carries out no royal duties and there is little public interest in another royal wedding. The question we should be asking is why are we funding the wedding?”

“Most people aren’t even aware that there is another royal wedding this year. There simply isn’t the public appetite for another costly royal wedding. The royals should pay for the wedding themselves, just like the rest of us.”

“Polls showed two-thirds of Brits weren’t interested in Harry and Meghan’s big day, and 56 per cent believed the Royals should have paid the full cost of the wedding, including the cost of policing and security. Seventy-six per cent said they wouldn’t want to contribute their own taxes to the wedding if they had a choice. Why are we to believe the public are more enthusiastic about Eugenie’s wedding? They simply aren’t.”

“Police cuts are hitting forces hard, and crime is rising as police officer numbers fall. Officers will be called in from far and wide, away from the communities they serve, to take part in the wedding at a cost of over £2 million. We’d have more bobbies on the beat were it not for Eugenie’s big wedding plans.”

* Republic https://www.republic.org.uk/

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