Weddings can be seriously expensive — so it’s not hard to believe that a royal wedding would reach eye-watering levels of cost.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nuptials will reportedly cost a staggering $44.9 million and experts have revealed exactly how they think this price tag will be broken down.
Wedding planning company Bridebook has calculated how much it thinks will be spent on flowers, food, entertainment and, of course, the dress.
Bridebook also guesses that the event, taking place in Windsor on May 19, will earn the couple a place on the list of the top 10 most expensive weddings of all time — ahead of William and Kate‘s (estimated to have cost $28 million).
The experts says the bulk of the royal costs will be spent on security — with Meghan’s dress, the flowers, food and drinks coming in at $1.4 million.
Other costs associated with the day include the fact that Windsor will be locked down for the day, with a heavy police presence in place, as well as crowd control and restrictions placed on shops and restaurants.
Extra security measures may include snipers, undercover police and military tech, such as a counter-drone system, could push the cost to upwards of $42.1 million, according to Bridebook.
This huge security bill is expected to be higher than for William and Kate’s wedding, even though theirs was larger, due to the ongoing terrorist threat level.
Bridebook’s breakdown of some of the key costs includes:
- $125,000 for 20 silver-plated trumpets that will announce the event
- $70,000 on the lemon elderflower cake from Violet Bakery in east London
- $150,000 on flowers to adorn the aisles of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and St. George’s Great Hall
- $420,000 to hire the glass marquee for the evening reception on the grounds of Frogmore House
- $36,000 on sausage rolls and hot tea for the 2,640 members of the public who have been invited
- $42.1 million on security measures
- $420,000 to $560,000 on Meghan’s dress
However, other sources think Meghan’s dress will cost far less than this, royal expert Katie Nicholl, author of “Harry: Life, Loss and Love,” told The Telegraph: “Meghan is very mindful of wanting to send the right message with her gown.
“It’s going to be iconic and fit the backdrop of Windsor Castle, but it would send off the wrong message to wear a dress that in cost alone would upstage Kate’s.”
Kate’s Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen dress is rumored to have cost $350,000.
Mark Niemierko, who has planned weddings attended by royals, says the couple will probably aim for a more low-key affair.
He added that one of the biggest expenses will be the evening party.
He told The Telegraph: “The dinner-and-dancing part will be the real celebration.
“There was a rumor that the Spice Girls might play, but that would cost an average Joe a fortune — about $1.4 million for each band member.”
But, because of the historic nature of the event, as well as the global coverage, prices for the band would likely drop — as would prices for dresses, flowers and food.
Niemierko added: “The royals get a lot more for their money because people are happy to do things for free.”
Prince Harry and Meghan are to get married on Saturday, May 19, 2018.
The wedding is taking place at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, which is where Harry was christened when he was 3 months old.
Charles and Camilla had their televised blessing there in 2005 and it offers the couple a more low-key venue than Westminster Abbey, where Kate Middleton and Prince William got married.