The security costs for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding at Windsor Castle has been revealed. Ahead of the 19 May nuptials, it was widely rumoured that estimated cost was £30million. Police commissioner Anthony Stansfeld has since stated that the end bill is "between £2m and £4m". The police and crime commissioner told the BBC that he plans to apply for "special funding" from the Home Office to cover the whole cost of policing the royal wedding.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Harry and Meghan married in Windsor on 19 May
Approximately 100,000 spectators descended to Windsor on the big day, in what was one of Thames Valley Police's largest-ever security operations, which required reinforcements from other forces, including the Metropolitan Police. Policing minister Nick Hurd has revealed that no application for funding has been received, he said: "The cost really was a lot of people [officers] had their leave cancelled and will take it at other times. Those sorts of things, there is not a direct cost but there were direct costs."
Will Prince Harry and Meghan's royal wedding follow suit from Prince William and Kate's?
In figures obtained by Press Association, it shows security at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's 2011 wedding cost £6.35million, with nearly £3million spent on police overtime costs alone. Hundreds of officers were drafted in to help police crowds watching the event in London, which saw an estimated one million people line the streets. In April, a Thames Valley Police spokesman said costs for the police operation and any additional infrastructure would be shared between the force and the local council, but that any opportunity to recover costs from the Home Office at a later date "will of course be explored". In a statement, a Home Office spokesman said: "Police funding has increased £60 million in 2018-19, including £280 million from council tax precept, so that at a local, national and counter terrorism level the police have the resources they need."
