Two in three Britons are “not interested” in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding this weekend, according to a new poll published on Tuesday. The YouGov survey found 66 percent of British people were uninterested in the upcoming nuptials — with around a third “not interested at all”. The poll, commissioned by anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, questioned 1,615 Britons over two days late last week.
Its release comes just four days before Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle tie the knot at St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle in a pomp-filled occasion. The survey found just nine percent of Britons were “very interested” in the wedding, with only around a quarter (27 percent) planning to watch or listen to parts of the ceremony live on TV, radio or online. The poll also suggested dissatisfaction at public expenditure on the wedding. More than half of the respondents said the royals should “pay for the entire wedding” and three-quarters reported not wanting any taxes to be used for the event.
The royal family are currently paying for the ceremony and reception, with taxpayers picking up the tab for policing and security. Republic, the anti-monarchy campaign group which commissioned the poll, regards Saturday’s wedding as just another showbiz sideshow. “It’s not a lot different from the international fascination with the Kardashians,” its chief executive Graham Smith told AFP earlier this month. The poll found Britons retain affection for the monarchy, with more than half of respondents saying they would be “disappointed” if the institution was scrapped.
