Princess Eugenie's wedding security will cost taxpayers millions, says expert

The ninth-in-line to the throne will marry Jack Brooksbank on October 12 this year

The British public shouldn’t be surprised if the cost of security at Princess Eugenie’s autumn wedding runs into several million pounds, an expert has said.

Princess Eugenie of York is due to marry her fiancé, Jack Brooksbank, at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on October 12.

It’s been reported that the cost of security at the royal occasion will cost the taxpayer dearly, possibly rising into the millions.

While this has led to shock and disapproval online, according to a security expert, the extremely high cost of the event shouldn’t come as a surprise.

“Of course, it goes without saying that no matter where this wedding is going to take place, security will be required,” Alex Bomberg, CEO of Intelligent Protection International Limited, a firm that provides royalty protection, tells The Independent.

As Bomberg explains, any event attended by British royalty will always require armed protection provided by the police.

“Being a provider of royalty protection, if this wedding was to take place utilising a private firm such as my own, then the cost would be well in excess of the publicised costs (in one newspaper) of £2m.”

In Bomberg’s opinion, the reportedly high cost of the security at Princess Eugenie’s royal wedding is justified considering the significance of the occasion.

Thames Valley Police explains to The Independent that several different organisations including the Thames Valley Police force will be working together in order to ensure that the event is “happy and secure for all”.

However, the police force was unable to state exactly how much the wedding’s security will cost.

“At this stage it is not possible for us to provide a cost of policing the royal wedding until it has concluded,” says a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police.

“If at a later stage there is an opportunity to recover costs, this will be explored.”

The Mirror, citing anonymous sources, claimed Princess Eugenie’s wedding will cost the British taxpayers approximately £2m. While this has sparked outrage online, Bomberg argues that this is a realistic figure for a royal wedding of this magnitude.