UK Tax Payer to foot Royal Wedding Security Bill, why?

[EggFriedRice]

Just been announced on the news that the UK taxpayer is footing the security bill for the Royal wedding in April 2011. I am not personally a fan of the royal family nor is my DH, we don't agree that our taxes should be spent on someones wedding security arrangements. Why is the Queen not paying for this after all she is one of the wealthiest women in the world? With all of the cuts being announced I don't feel that it is right or fair to make the taxpayer pay for the royals security wedding plans. They will never suffer the hardships that so many people are or will be going through in this country it is a disgrace imo.
I suppose the extra Bank Holiday on 29th April 2011 is to keep us happy

"BadgersPaws - I think that was true until the CSR when the Queen will now receive a percentage of the surplus from the Crown Estate instead of a fixed Civil List payment. Given how well run they are, she'll probably be better off!"

Yes, though I didn't know that until the other day when someone on here pointed that out to me.

For a period of a few years the Queen was spending less than the Civil List gave her, so she was building up a surplus. She's now using that surplus, so rather than up the civil list she's being given a proportion of the income from the Crown Estates. I would like to know how much though....

"if we had a President we'd be paying a LOT more"

More concerning to me is that if we had a President then they'd probably want and expect to be able to fiddle around with and be involved in the political process.

So having a President would have complex and potentially troubling effects on how this country is run. And that to me is more concerning than the cost aspect.

mateysmum, just because I don't happen to have any feelings about the Royals does'nt mean to say I shall be a miserable person on the wedding day,not interested, so what. I just question how this country can currently afford to spend millions of tax payers money on a wedding. Look at all of the cost cutting going on, so many people will be left in poverty by this government, how can they instantly find 30 million to fund a wedding whoever it happens to be then on the other hand tell us "we're all in this together", the Royals won't suffer hardship will they.

"how can they instantly find 30 million to fund a wedding"

It's not funding a Wedding as such.

It's funding to stop the Head of State getting blown up, to stop the future Heads of State getting blown up, to stop visiting foreign Heads of State getting blown up, to stop historic buildings getting blown up and to stop countless innocent civilians getting blown up.

That seems very sensible to me, and I say that as another person who has no real interest in the Monarchy as long as they stay out of politics.

The Government could insist on making this a private affair rather than a state one.

But then people would complain that they couldn't see it and businesses wouldn't benefit from the hoped for tourist boost.

I don't think we should pay for the security and personally, being self employed, an extra bank holiday's just a pain in the arse - another day not to be able to earn money. Bah humbug!

BP - I think it's 15%

"BP - I think it's 15%"

Blimey....

Presuming that's based on the profits that will be about £15 million a year, nearly double what the Civil List is right now.

The royal family could have a wedding hidden from public view and they would be slated for not sharing with the country.

So they have allowed the public to go and see them on their wedding day. So we foot the bill. Makes sense to me.

Think how much money will be made (and taxed) on the souvenir --tat- stalls, food stalls, hotel, on the lead up to their wedding and on the day

Do I remember rightly that Prince Charles doesn't pay tax on income from the overpriced Duchy stuff he sells?

If so he should have a few bob down the back of the chaise longue for such emergencies .

I believe that used to be the case

However according to \link{http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23850595-thrifty-prince-charles-slashes-his-costs-and-pays-more-tax.do\this} no longer the case

"Do I remember rightly that Prince Charles doesn't pay tax on income from the overpriced Duchy stuff he sells?"

The Duchy doesn't pay corporation tax.

However the Prince himself voluntarily pays 25% tax on the profits.

Thanks for clearing that up!

nah - I'm just good with google

frankly, I'm just glad for the day off work and the 4 day weekend!

I also think we could all do with a bit of fun and sunshine.

At least the parents are footing the bill for the wedding itself...

Good points, ProfessorLayton.

Hm. Presumably if you have lax/el cheapo security and the royal family gets blown up, then that saves on a lot of hassle (in terms of having a royal family), but it wouldn't be particularly nice.

Thing is, it's not just protecting them, but presumably the millions of individuals who will line the Mall to see the carriage etc., and the people hanging about in Hyde Park to watch on big screens, and possibly Trafalgar Sq etc. etc. and as others have said, it's like putting up a giant sign saying "yoo hoo! Terrorists! Over here!" as a) it's super high profile and b) there'll be tons of visiting dignataries. Even just the proposed wedding party's quite a target:

• queen
• Prince Philip
• (possibly) future king + wifey
• second in line to throne + wifey
• Archbishop of Canterbury
• Other Royal hangers on

Knocking them all out would almost be like the premise of the movie King Ralph amd we don't want that to happen.

I'm sure the VAT alone on various Royal Commemorative tat will pay for the security costs.

Abs - don't forget the Politicians as well who will probably turn out in force - and I'm sure there'll be a fair number of those - not just the British ones

Yes, I bet Bill Clinton will turn up (he always does), Sarko, maybe Nelson Mandela (though he is getting on), Berlusconi (they should seat him next to Prince Philip and film the results ), Obama, and various others.

Supposing the sainted Obama were blown up?

The Queen is head of state and it is a public event. We should pay the security bill. I am suprised that they are footing the bill for the actual wedding between the families.

ABS at the thought of Philip and Berlusconi sitting next to each other!

baroque - you mentioned Charles and Diana in '81 - £4m then would be £12.6m now.

' Berlusconi (they should seat him next to Prince Philip and film the results '
Oh yeah, they'd give great YouTube!

as awesome as that would be, the STUPID royal family has already ignored all my suggestions around the best day to have a wedding, so I doubt they're going to take my suggestion of sitting Berlusconi next to Prince Philip because they're mean and don't want me to have any fun.

Frankly rather more concerned about the 7 odd BILLION going to bail out Ireland than 30 million spent on wedding security, which will come back into the economy several-fold via tourism etc.

Hallelujah bobthebuddha

Most antiroyal idiots don't seem to understand the idea that whilst we pay millions to have them, they more than pay for the cost of the civil list in terms of tourism.

"Frankly rather more concerned about the 7 odd BILLION going to bail out Ireland"

The money to Ireland is a loan so it should, in theory, come back into the economy. Plus we can charge the Irish lower interests than they can get from the Banks yet higher interest than we will be paying. Money should be flowing into the economy as they make an interest payment to us and we then use part of that to pay of the interest we're being charged.

Plus as well as that we avoid the very serious negative effects to British Banks and industries that rely on Ireland for exports.

In the end we know that the 7 billion to Ireland will generate money back to the Government. So it's a similar argument to the spend on Royal Security, both are "investments" that we're hoping will see returns.

Tourism?! Please tell me noone would actually be sad enought to go and watch?! Jesus people must have far too much time on their hands if they want to go and watch someone else gt married, or more likely, ride about in their carriage!