-Royal wedding boosts public mood while attracting tourists
The long and tiring Brexit negotiations that have dominated the daily lives of individuals in the U.K. since June 2016 with constant media coverage, pub talks and discussions at teatime momentarily went into hiatus. The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which took place last Saturday afternoon, gave a respite from Brexit and brought excitement to many on the U.K. streets, with pubs and gardens decorated with British flags while the masses celebrated the royal wedding. Officially known as Prince Henry of Wales, Prince Harry, the sixth in line to the British throne, has been made the Duke of Sussex by the Queen, and now his wife, American actress Meghan Markle, has become the Duchess of Sussex.
Visitors from the U.K. and around the world have flocked to the British market town of Windsor to witness the royal wedding. Prince Harry and Markle invited 2,640 members of the public to witness the arrival and departure of the royal carriage carrying the couple.
The ceremony saw the attendance of high-profile figures including talk show host Oprah Winfrey, actor George Clooney and his wife Amal, Elton John, actor Idris Elba, David and Victoria Beckham and American tennis legend Serena Williams. The royal wedding boosted the public mood and allowed optimism to prevail over the future of Britain that has always been based on enduring, solid foundations.
About 13 million watched the BBC’s coverage, while 3.6 million tuned in on ITV.
According to the Telegraph, Patricia Yates from VisitBritain, both the name and website used by the British Tourist Authority, said, “the images of a fairytale romance in glorious surroundings would prove an irresistible showcase.”
VisitBritain expects a 15 percent rise in visitors from the U.S. year-on-year bringing in more than £3.4 billion to the U.K.
The organization said overall, Britain would see a 4 percent increase in tourists from overseas. These tourists are expected to spend £26.9 billion this year - a 7 percent rise on 2017.
According to media reports, even before the wedding, tourist numbers rose significantly, with an extra 50,000 visitors arriving in the week of the first May bank holiday.
There is no doubt the British royal family is still very influential in international relations, in shaping public opinion and is still considered an important soft power for the U.K.
