Who pays for a royal wedding -- and how much does it cost?
Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding is sure to be the event of the decade, if not the century. A ceremony at Westminster Abbey, followed by a carriage ride for the newlywed couple and a reception at Buckingham Palace all add up to a royal event that will be talked about for years to come. However, the focus of many British taxpayers will be how much it all costs.
Unfortunately, it's not going to be an easy question to answer. Royal weddings are notoriously extravagant, and any commoner can tell you that this one is going to be pretty pricey. How pricey, you ask? Well, despite the fact that neither Middleton nor her royal beau have ever cut an album or starred in a feature film (no, William's brother's antics don't count), their ceremony is widely expected to be one of the most expensive celebrity weddings of all time.
But the British citizenry can breathe a sigh of relief, as they're not going to be footing the bill. Both the queen and Prince Charles have agreed to "pay their share," though in the past, public funds have been used to finance royal events. While we're not quite sure how much "their share" will be, exactly, we're pretty confident they're going to pick up the vast majority of the total wedding tab. Tradition dictates that the bride's family pay for the ceremony, and Kate's parents have insisted on contributing, but this is one bash even those respectable millionaires can't afford.
Most realistic estimates place the final cost for the wedding around 12 million pounds, all of which will be covered by private funds. However, the state may have to pay a hefty sum to cover public services like increased police presence for security and traffic detail.
But don't start crying for our friends across the pond just yet. Yes, the marriage could be considered a burden on the British taxpayer, and for some it will be. For others, it's a once-in-a-lifetime an opportunity. Find out how people are taking advantage of William and Kate's union on the next page.
Will the Biggest Wedding of the Decade be Low-key?
We know -- "low-key" isn't the word most people would use to describe a royal anything, especially a wedding. Prince William and Kate Middleton's "I dos" are going to be a huge event no matter what, but the future princess is trying to keep both the pomp and costs down.
Historically, the royal bride travels to the ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage. Well-wishers line the roads for the duration of the bride's journey, and it's extremely expensive to keep such an event organized and safe for both the British citizens and the bride. Kate, however, is forgoing the preliminary carriage ride and is instead arriving by car. It's a little touch, sure, but the savings really add up, as security, traffic detail and cleanup expenses can actually cost many times more than the wedding itself. More than 600,000 people lined the streets for William's parents' union in 1981, which cost the British government an estimated 30 million pounds. The royal couple will be taking a carriage after the ceremony, but Kate's decision to drive to the wedding will still likely save the British people tens of thousands of pounds, and that's only one of many ways the future Windsor is trying to keep costs down.
The couple must perform a balancing act of sorts, as like most of the rest of the world, England is currently in the middle of a recession. Most British citizens want to see a festive celebration commemorating the couple's union, but if the ceremony and festivities are too opulent, there could be a public backlash.
Despite the immense crowd-control, security and cleanup costs associated with the ceremony, Britons will actually end up making more money than they spend. Estimates for the net gains from Prince William and Kate's nuptials range from around 600 million to more than a billion pounds -- yes, billion! Souvenir trinkets, such as plates, pill boxes, T-shirts, tankards and virtually anything else you can think of will bring in millions in revenue, but the real money lies in the increased tourism and food and drink to celebrate the occasion. Countless bottles of champagne and wine will be purchased by British well-wishers to toast the newlyweds (in fact, pubs across the country will be allowed to remain open later than usual the night of the wedding and the following evening). But perhaps most importantly, the worldwide media blitz surrounding the couple and upcoming event is sure to keep England in vacationers' minds for quite some time.
Factor in the exchange rate, which has recently favored the pound (at the time of this writing, the British pound is worth nearly 40 percent more than the American dollar), and it's clear that this couple's "I dos" could generate more money than almost any entertainment event in history.