ShareThisApril 29, 2011 would have been just like any other ordinary spring day in London except that it isn’t. For on this day the famous royal wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton is going to take place as the whole wide world watches, mesmerized and dazed.
All the world’s top journalists, some 9,000 of them, have descended to London, ready to brave the challenge of covering an event that will likely either duplicate or surpass the record estimated 750 million international viewers of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding on July 29, 1981.
Here in the U.S., too, press coverage of the royal wedding grew bigger with every passing day from the time Buckingham Palace announced William and Kate’s engagement in November 2010. With the countdown to the royal wedding, America’s television networks ran stories of anything and everything with even the slightest ties to the royal couple.
In spite of the efforts to rein in the expenses, the wedding will still cost an estimated $50 M to $80 M. Much of the expenses will go to security at $33M with 5,000 police officers on patrol, 200 mounted police and 35 sniffer dogs. Floral display is at $800,000 and wedding cake, $78,000. Kate’s dress costs between $300,000 to $450,000, which the Middletons will pay for. The queen and Prince Charles will shoulder the luncheon and dinner reception for 1900 guests at $600,000. The taxpayers will pick up the rest of the tab including street cleaning at Westminster Abbey the day before the wedding which is estimated at $63,000.
As far as Britain’s economy is concerned, this royal wedding will cost the country $6billion as a consequence of declaring the day a national holiday. And because the wedding falls in the middle of a string of other holidays, which leaves only 3 working days between April 22 and May 2 many businesses are likely to stay closed through the whole 10 days and could cost $47billion in lost revenue. On the up side, $1billion is estimated to be gained from tourism and merchandise sale though still a far cry from the estimated $47billion loss in revenue.
But the pomp and spectacle of the royal event that never fails to catch the fantasy of people the world over overshadow any of its economic disadvantages. And the British generally don’t seem to mind much of it either since 75% of the people have a very positive feeling and attitude toward the royal wedding.
But there are few dissenting opinions, too, such as those of Rev. Pete Broadbent, Bishop of Willesden who wrote in his Facebook that William and Kate were shallow celebrities whose marriage would only last 7 years and called the royal family philanderers whose failed marriages cost people an arm and a leg. He was relieved of his duties by the Bishop of London despite his apologies. Scots Guardsman Cameron Reilly was also dismissed from his royal wedding duties when he called Kate “stupid stuck up cow” and “posh b…” in his Facebook.
It seems obvious, however, that more British people prefer to preserve the monarchy and the royal tradition that makes their country unique and attractive to the outside world. This attraction alone, according to the recent research by tourism board Visit Britain, accounts for £500m in tourist spending each year in normal times. Besides, the “feel good” factor among the people could be stimulus enough in these times of recession and deficits.
Truly, the British monarchy is here to stay.