From biscuits to traditional mugs, businesses and Windsor residents are making the most of royal wedding fever with less than a month to go to the nuptials of Prince Harry.
Within hours of Harry’s proposal to Meghan Markle being announced in November 2017, online store Jewlr.com had created “The Duchess” replica engagement ring.
Excitement over the white coat Markle wore following the engagement prompted the website of its designer, Canadian brand Line, to crash.
Seven years since the last high-profile royal nuptials — the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton — Britain has raced to prepare for the national event.
An official royal wedding collection of commemorative china was promptly launched, using 250-year-old methods and modern-day prices.
A coffee cup costs £25, while the price of a plate has been set at £49 and a tube of shortbread biscuits costs £5.95. The line has been created by the Royal Collection Trust, which manages the royal art collection and the contents of the various palaces.
But royal wedding memorabilia has extended far beyond the official souvenirs.
Between the memorabilia, souvenir magazines and fashion items, royal enthusiasts are also expected to spend more on food and drinks as pubs have been granted late closures over the wedding weekend.
The combined boost to the economy has been estimated at £120mn by the Centre for Retail Research. The royal wedding could overall bring more than £1bn to the UK this year, according to consultancy firm Brand Finance, including £300mn in tourism.
Foreign visitors flocked to the UK in April 2011, when Prince William married Kate, with numbers jumping by 350,000 year-on-year.
A weakened pound coupled with “an incredible media interest” in the upcoming nuptials will result in even higher visitor figures next month, Brand Finance said.
Police are preparing for more than 100,000 people to visit Windsor, around 30kms west of London, for the wedding day.
Locals are ready for the windfall, charging tourists and global TV stations sky-high prices to stay in the town.
Weeks ahead of the celebration, one house in the town centre — advertised as “ideal for the royal wedding” — is charging £3,500 per night. An apartment which is a “50-second walk from the castle” can be rented for the night for £2,100.
But the financial benefits are expected to reach well beyond the wedding day, thanks to the “Meghan Effect” of fans paying particular attention to her fashion choices.
“Now, as she becomes a member of the royal family, that effect on brands is likely to grow even more,” said Brand Finance, predicting her allegiances will switch to UK designers.


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