Princess Eugenie wedding: Will public protest against taxpayer’s £2m bill for royal event? | Royal | News (Details)

Eugenie, 28, will tie the knot with finance Jack, 31, on October 12 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, the same venue where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in May.

Royal wedding fever has been at a high this year after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s nuptials, but many Britons are less than impressed by the rocketing expense of security for Eugenie and Jack’s big day.

The couple were heavily criticised by some people on social media with comments including “royal scrounger”, “beyond a joke” and “disgrace”.

The cost was originally expected to be £750,000 but has since soared to £2m, with Eugenie and Jack now riding in an open-topped carriage like Harry and Meghan.

Will public protest against the rising cost of Eugenie’s wedding?

Former royal butler Grant Harold says despite the uproar, a public protest will not be on the cards.

He told Express.co.uk: “This has never happened before to my knowledge and I would have thought it unlikely to happen.

“This is an occasion for the nation to to celebrate again as we did in May for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wonderful wedding and not to protest.”

The other big expense for the day is Eugenie and Jack’s decision to invite 1,200 members of the public to watch the royal nuptials in the castle grounds.

Police officers are likely to patrol the Windsor area in order to safeguard members of the public.

Labour MP Chris Williamson has demanded Eugenie’s father, the Duke of York, fund the growing bill himself.

But Mr Harrold has said the decision of Prince Andrew not to fund the £2m total was a “personal one”.

He added: “Of course traditionally the bride’s father would pay for all the wedding, but in the 21st century most couples are fortunate enough that both parents of the bride and groom will assist with the cost of the wedding and reception as weddings today cost slightly more than they did 100 years ago.”

Eugenie is set bring the wow factor when she marries with a host of A-list celebrity guests thought to be attending.

The Beckhams, George Clooney, former supermodel Cindy Crawford and pop princess Ellie Goulding are all thought to be on the list.

Are people as excited as they were for Harry and Meghan’s nuptials?

Harry and Meghan’s wedding was hugely popular with tens of millions watching the service at home, while 100,000 people lined the streets of Windsor.

Emma Dent Coad, Labour MP for Kensington called Eugenie a “minor member” of the Royal Family and called the cost of her wedding “irresponsible”.

But Mr Harrold says he expects this all to blow over by the time October 12 arrives and the wedding will be popular with the British public.

He said: “Let’s remember Princess Eugenie is a royal princess in her own right, and as we have seen countless times everyone loves a royal wedding.”

The royal expert added: “The excitement, as with all royal weddings will build between now and the wedding day.

“On the day itself I have no doubt the great British public will be there in force to support the couple and cheer them on as will the Royal Family.”