Engagement of Prince William to Catherine Middleton: November 16, 2010

[texankitcat]

Yes I do, Muriel many UK households are being asked to run on the same or less money than they did 20 years ago.

You may forget that Osborne has just agreed to pay £7?BN to help keep the Irish economy afloat. These are hard times for all of us.

Why should it be any different for the Royals? Think about how popular they would be if the Queen agreed to pay the security bill.

There will be thousands of citizens on the streets to view the wedding. Those citizens need to be protected which is what the taxpayers are paying for.

 

[SASSY]

So it's set in stone then? I'm going to ask for Friday April 29th off from work and sit in front of the computer and (tv) all day until I look like this !

 

[Zonk]

Here's a question because the last time i was in London it was like 20 years ago?

Do you pay food on tax and hotel fees? The reason that I ask that I would imagine that a lot of people who are not from London will be coming to London to witness this event. They have to eat, sleep and will most likely buy a lot of trinkets. Maybe the money from these expenditures should be earmarked for the wedding security. If that is the case...I think its a wash.

Or William and Catherine can do as I suggested. Have a small wedding that is not open to the public and issue a series of photos. I don't imagine that will go over well either.

I understand your points but really I think the money that the security get for working an extra shift/hours will be spent in the British economy and. If Mike works 8 hours than he might have a little more money to buy things which only helps the economy and those that provide services that Mike needs.

Please understand that I am from the Washington DC area (suburban Maryland) and every four years those on the right and the left complain about the cost of the presidential inaguration. Now the actual cost is paid by big and large sponsors but in the general sense....the DC area is the big winner! Why? Because our hotel rooms are being used, our restuarants are filled, people are going to the tourist attractions in between the swearing ins and the parties, cabs are being used, hair/nail salons, cleaners, etc are being utilized and that in turn is helping our local economy.

I, for one am thinking about how I can get to London. And I will need a hotel to stay and places to eat. So somebody is making some money.

 

[Ccile]

Too bad the wedding will be on friday!! I'll work:!!

 

[muriel]

Yes I do, Muriel many UK households are being asked to run on the same or less money than they did 20 years ago.

You may forget that Osborne has just agreed to pay £7?BN to help keep the Irish economy afloat. These are hard times for all of us.

Why should it be any different for the Royals? Think about how popular they would be if the Queen agreed to pay the security bill.

Thankfully monarchy is not about short term ill-judged and populist measures.

I appreciate the hardship that some of my fellow subjects are suffering and that this is a time of national austeity, but I fail to see the argument for the royal family to pay the secutiry bill. What is the relevance of the bail-out of the Irish economy with the security bill for the UK royal wedding?

In terms of "Why should it be any different for the Royals?", HM is not asking for any special subsidy for the wedding. She has not had a pay rise in 20 years, and has managed her budgets astutely.

I hope you do realise that the royal wedding will lead to substantial numbers of tourists visiting the UK and spending their dollars, euros or yen in the UK, all of which will lead to job / wealth creation in the UK.

 

[Frideswide]

Exactly my point, Zonk! It's not as though they are going to make a big pile of money and set fire to it The money it costs will be circulated back into the economy.

 

[muriel]

Here's a question because the last time i was in London it was like 20 years ago?

Do you pay food on tax and hotel fees? The reason that I ask that I would imagine that a lot of people who are not from London will be coming to London to witness this event. They have to eat, sleep and will most likely buy a lot of trinkets. Maybe the money from these expenditures should be earmarked for the wedding security. If that is the case...I think its a wash.

Or William and Catherine can do as I suggested. Have a small wedding that is not open to the public and issue a series of photos. I don't imagine that will go over well either.

I understand your points but really I think the money that the security get for working an extra shift/hours will be spent in the British economy and. If Mike works 8 hours than he might have a little more money to buy things which only helps the economy and those that provide services that Mike needs.

Please understand that I am from the Washington DC area (suburban Maryland) and every four years those on the right and the left complain about the cost of the presidential inaguration. Now the actual cost is paid by big and large sponsors but in the general sense....the DC area is the big winner! Why? Because our hotel rooms are being used, our restuarants are filled, people are going to the tourist attractions in between the swearing ins and the parties, cabs are being used, hair/nail salons, cleaners, etc are being utilized and that in turn is helping our local economy.

I, for one am thinking about how I can get to London. And I will need a hotel to stay and places to eat. So somebody is making some money.

Quite right, thats just how the wheels of commerce continue to rotate. The economy will benefit from the royal wedding (some recent press comment about a benefit in excess of £600m - use google if you want to find the article) so the "net" effect will be positive for the taxpayer.

 

[Jacknch]

I really don't think we need to worry too much about the cost of security as it is a cost we can easily afford - afterall, a few million pounds these days doesn't go very far in terms of tax spending and the money will be recouped.

 

[cd_1]

how much will the Middletons contribute? Surely they cant afford to pay nearly as much as the royals? perhaps they will pay for their guests only?

 

[salma]

I like the date, Does anyone know if Catherine will have any event before wedding?

 

[Kataryn]

Great suggestions! Or the royals could foot the bill for security too. Why not? They are cushioned from the harsh economic realities that the public have to suffer, through no fault of our own. And since most people in Britain are struggling to maintain their standard of living these days and fearing job losses and social welfare cutbacks, they are for the most part not actually very interested in this wedding. For the most part it seems like an awful waste of money.

It's not as if the taxpayer would get any of the money back that could be saved on this wedding - it's spent somewhere else and not necessarily on hospitals or other institutions that the taxpayer benefits from... The security staff (police etc.) is in public employment anyway, so why bother that much? There is so much money spent on travels of minor government minions, on occasions only very few if any "taxpayers" are attending - so why not invest in a weddng that at least will gve all little girls in Britain (and a lot of moms and grannies, too!) something to enjoy and dream of.
The taxes are payed anywhy, so why not spend them on a public festive event like a Royal wedding?

 

[rsfc149]

How cool this is! I'm in London until April 29th so I'm going to see at least a bit of it =) Does anyone already know the exactly time? Is it rather in the evening or earlier? I hope I won't be sitting already on the plane...

 

[linda85]

This is an exciting time for the Queen as well. Seeing one grandson get married in April 2011 and becoming a great grandmother next month in Dec 2010 when Peter and his wife Autumn have their first child!!

 

[mattep74]

The cost for 4000 policemen in Sweden on June 19 were 2 million dollar in overtimecost(easy to count as the dollar stands 7-1 against the krona at the moment). So the cost for the security dont have to be THAT big. Off course London is bigger and the UK is bigger, but the cost for the police will "only" be around 3-4 million dollar tops.

Any troops from the RAF, RN or the BA will be covered under the defencebudget for next year.

It will be a big boos for the hotells and restaurants in London even if no foregin tourists come.

If you want to save money for the UK goverment, dont loan Ireland cas

 

[muriel]

Great suggestions! Or the royals could foot the bill for security too. Why not? They are cushioned from the harsh economic realities that the public have to suffer, through no fault of our own. And since most people in Britain are struggling to maintain their standard of living these days and fearing job losses and social welfare cutbacks, they are for the most part not actually very interested in this wedding. For the most part it seems like an awful waste of money.

I hate to bring out a slightly controversial analogy here, but would all those concerned about the cost of security for the royal wedding have similar views for a royal funeral, say that of Diana's?

 

[Biri]

Maybe they did know, and choose that date

But does ithave significance for them? They are Anglicans, not Roman Catholics.

 

[Frideswide]

I hate to bring out a slightly controversial analogy here, but would all those concerned about the cost of security for the royal wedding have similar views for a royal funeral, say that of Diana's?

Good point. I seem to remember that the original plans for a low-key funeral were abandoned after howls of protest from the public.

 

[ghost_night554]

Crap a Friday ugh that means I need to plan my courses for next semester around this wedding ugh now I need to have Friday off. Not only that I'll prob be pulling an all nighter if they air it live here cause I'll be up early not sleep most of the day and then at night go out to a concert.

 

[qui mal y pense]

I think you make a great point. If Will and Kate decided to have a private family ceremony at Windsor or Balmoral, you would hear howls of protest from the public and they'd be called snooty etc. and then be derided for taking public funds but not putting on a good show.

 

[Naggi]

Oh no! Why a Friday???? Many of us need to work. So I need to apply for a day off which I definitely will do of course! I must be a real royalist than!

 

[Marika86]

Prince William and Kate Middleton will be married on April 29 in Westminster Abbey - hellomagazine.com

 

[4Pam]

I'm really very excited for this wedding. I can't wait!

 

[Nad25]

Bank holiday AND a royal wedding,God bless the royal couple!!!!!

 

[Marika86]

I'm really very excited for this wedding. I can't wait!

Me too!!!

 

[Shelo]

So any suggestions on how not to put the bill on the taxpayer? Maybe the wedding should be private and then the couple and the Palace should just issue a series of wedding pictures to the public? Or how about that all monies from souvenir sales should be used to pay for the security?

They could hold a national lottery with tickets to the wedding as prize (!!). With the population of the UK at ~60 million, they only would need 1 out of every 6 people to buy a single £2 ticket to cover the security expense.

If they opened the lottery up to include posters here on TRF, they could probably MAKE money!!

 

[cd_1]

I have a question: before the engagement, when they used to vacation together, who would pay for Kate? Prince William?

 

[qui mal y pense]

For all the hoopla about being mindful of the economic situation, you have to figure that the reception will be private and they can go all out for that. Unlike most girls who get their one moment in the limelight on the day of their wedding, Kate will experience that over and over throughout her life. Every gala event and royal occasion is an excuse to get dressed up and bejeweled, so she can afford to make the wedding a 'simpler' event without feeling like she is giving up on her special day.

 

[ghost_night554]

So I'm curious does it usually rain in the UK in April? I hope and pray it's a good day for me the rain would ruin it. I've never seen a royal wedding with rain.

 

[Frideswide]

Traditionally it's "April showers", but recently we have had some very warm and summery Aprils.

 

[Kataryn]

But does ithave significance for them? They are Anglicans, not Roman Catholics.

As far as I know ther Anglicans are the protestants who are the most close to the Catholic rituals. So St. Catherine of Siena might have a positive meaning there as well. (Well, I like her because I was named after her myself...)