‘Social climber’ Meghan: Is a real Princess putting her nose out of joint?
A two-day affair, a bigger guest list and a stricter dress code… It may be a case of wedding wars in Windsor
When Meghan Markle wed her prince at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in May, you could have forgiven her for thinking it was the wedding of the year.
But there’s competition in town with the forthcoming nuptials of Princess Eugenie, 28, and entrepreneur fiancé Jack Brooksbank, 32, at the same venue on 12 October.
The Queen’s granddaughter is said to be planning a twoday affair, including a formal reception and a ‘festival and funfair’-themed party. The estimated price tag is close to £3 million, with a heavy security bill being picked up by the tax-payer, even though Eugenie is not a working royal.
As for the ceremony itself, Eugenie, ninth in line to the throne, seems to be planning a more traditional affair than Meghan and Harry’s. The dress code requires a ‘day dress and hat’ and, for the men, morning coats. Meghan and Harry permitted men to wear lounge suits. 850 guests will attend – 250 more than Meghan and Harry invited.
Royal author Phil Dampier believes there are several reasons why this may be such a grand affair, saying, ‘Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Fergie, regard their daughters in the same league as [Princes] William and Harry, even though they don’t perform royal duties. Their attitude is that Eugenie is a granddaughter of the Queen and deserves a big day.’
He added, ‘This is all part of Andrew’s campaign to get a role for his daughters in the long-term, which Prince Charles, as future king, is against.
‘As for Fergie, she is pushing behind the scenes to raise the profile of this wedding, so that she’ll be back on the royal stage big-time.’
Let’s not forget, too, that Jack, ex-manager of posh London nightclub Mahiki, is extremely well-connected, while sparky Eugenie has several celebrity friends, including singer James Blunt, model Cara Delevingne and comedian Jimmy Carr.
So, if this new wedding does overshadow Meghan’s, will the newly-created Duchess of Sussex have her nose put out of joint?
850 guests will attend Eugenie’s wedding – 250 more than Harry and Meghan invited