How much would you pay for your wedding? $5,000? $10,000? Maybe even $20,000. Now multiply that by 42,500. Can you imagine paying that? The next royal wedding is set to be worth 500 million pound (C$850 million) as tourists flock to the country and Britons celebrate, according to an estimate. @kensingtonroyalembedded via Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth's grandson and fifth-in-line to the throne, will tie the knot with Markle on May 19 at Windsor Castle. Back in 2011, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding cost an estimated $34 million, with $32 million of that going toward security. And while that's already a hefty price tag to pay for a royal celebration, that number is nothing compared to what the wedding will bring in for the British economy. Business valuation consultancy Brand Finance predicted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials will generate some 500 million pounds ($864 million). @kensingtonroyalembedded via "We think approximately 200 million pounds will come from tourism, travel, hotels," the company's chief executive David Haigh told Reuters. About 150 million pounds would be spent on people having parties and celebrating, and 50 million will come in from people buying T-shirts, hats and other commemorative items, Haigh said. The wedding is also set to bring in 100 million pounds in free advertising for Britain around the world. And the couple are already bringing in extra cash for the country. Harry and Meghan merchandise has filled the displays of Windsor's tourist shops since their engagement was announced in November. @kensingtonroyalembedded via VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, estimated that 41.7 million tourists are expected to visit the UK throughout 2018. In 2011, around 350,000 people visited the UK for Prince William and Kate's wedding, and the Office of National Statistics reported a similar surge is expected for Harry and Meghan's big day. It's a shame that we don't have royals living in Canada...
