by Zoe Rademacher
In light of the second royal wedding this year, is it time we start asking the question: when is too much too much?
Over this weekend Princess Eugenie, ninth in line to throne, tied the knot with her long-term partner, Jack Brooksbank. However, the happy occasion was somewhat undercut by a tone a dissatisfaction, as all over the country people debated the cost of a royal wedding on the taxpayer. So I thought I’d put in my two pence-worth.
Let's face it: in the UK, we’re suckers for a Royal Wedding; most of us tuned in to watch the marriage of William and Kate and, earlier this year, Harry and Meghan. When it comes to Britain's most beloved brothers, we’re keen to protect them at whatever the cost; however, we seem less enthusiastic about those further down the royal chain.
So, let's first talk about what the taxpayer is actually paying for at the Royal Wedding: protection. We pay for the police to be out in force, protecting arguably Britain's most iconic figures. Everything else is covered for by the Royals.
So, Britain, why the fuss? The average Brit spends 88p on the Royal Family per year. The estimated cost of Will and Kate’s wedding was a cool £26 million, but the revenue created was £2 billion. The classic royal parade in Windsor that always comes with the Royal Wedding generates a huge amount of income for local businesses. The estimated increase in tourism alone during a royal wedding is said to generate over £300 million. The truth is, people love the Royals; they gleam with class and sophistication and we cannot get enough. They are our representatives to the rest of the world and no other country can compete with the iconic profile of Her Majesty. America might try to emulate us with their own version, but the best they can come up with is the Kardashians.
With this in mind, while I can sympathise with the argument that the police cuts should not mean we send more officers to look after the Royal Family, the fact is that the Windsors generate more than they spend and are integral both to the economy and the identity of our little island.
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| (BBC News) |
So, let's first talk about what the taxpayer is actually paying for at the Royal Wedding: protection. We pay for the police to be out in force, protecting arguably Britain's most iconic figures. Everything else is covered for by the Royals.
So, Britain, why the fuss? The average Brit spends 88p on the Royal Family per year. The estimated cost of Will and Kate’s wedding was a cool £26 million, but the revenue created was £2 billion. The classic royal parade in Windsor that always comes with the Royal Wedding generates a huge amount of income for local businesses. The estimated increase in tourism alone during a royal wedding is said to generate over £300 million. The truth is, people love the Royals; they gleam with class and sophistication and we cannot get enough. They are our representatives to the rest of the world and no other country can compete with the iconic profile of Her Majesty. America might try to emulate us with their own version, but the best they can come up with is the Kardashians.
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