Taking us to the cleaners
Now taxpayers face £250k bill for tidying up after Eugenie’s wedding
COUPLE Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank
THE cost to the taxpayer of Princess Eugenie’s lavish wedding is spiralling, with an extra £250,000 now being added for the clean-up operation.
It comes on top of the £2million already squandered on police and security – and hard on the heels of Harry and Meghan’s £1.25million wedding in May.
The latest bill also includes the cost of mobile toilets, stewards and barriers along the route the minor royal’s open top carriage ride will take when she ties the knot with tequila ambassador Jack Brooksbank, 32, in Windsor on Friday.
And the spending of public money on a wealthy princess who has no public duties in contrast to the Tory cuts imposed on councils sparked further fury.
Dani Beckett, of anti-monarchy group Republic, said: “Fairytale royal weddings come at a nightmarish cost.
“These costs to the local council just go to show that while the public face endless budget cuts the royals continue to enjoy the limitless spending.” Labour MP Emma Dent Coad added: “It is disappointing we have to foot the £2million bill for security for her dream of driving in an open-topped carriage. “I can only imagine Windsor will once again have to clear the streets of the homeless. What a very touching gift it would be for Eugenie to forgo her dream of a carriage ride and to send a generous donation to local homelessness services.” Even royal insiders criticised the soaring bill. A source said: “The spiralling public costs of this event are raising eyebrows.” Windsor and Maidenhead council will contribute to the bill.
It is hopeful of being reimbursed by central government. A petition against public funds being used has gathered 37,000 signatures. The town hall was handed back £1.08million of what it paid out for Harry and Meghan’s big day. Guests for 28-year-old Eugenie’s wedding are rumoured to include Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams, Ellie Goulding, Cara Delevingne and George and Amal Clooney.
SHE performs no public duties and is a lowly ninth in line to the throne, so charging taxpayers another £250,000 on top of a £2million security bill for Princess Eugenie’s wedding is understandably provoking a huge backlash.
When schools and hospitals are buckling under Tory austerity and Universal Credit cuts cripple low-income families, how indefensibly wasteful to squander our precious resources on an extravagant society bash.
The latest invoice for stewards and barriers isn’t even the only extra public cost when the local council in Windsor is expected to provide portable toilets and clean the streets before and after the privileged couple’s nuptials.
Surely the father of bride, Andrew, the Duke of York, should be paying the entire cost, instead of dipping into the public purse.
Bankrolling the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was arguably justified because they perform royal duties, but Eugenie and her betrothed give nothing in return.
The Queen is held in great respect, but the “hangers-on” risk bringing the monarchy into disrepute.