We’ve heard a lot about the impact on the monarchy, the country and the Commonwealth. But what do the coming nuptials mean for the host town? Alice Cairns finds out
A room with a view
In anticipation of the wedding there’s been a huge influx of people listing their homes on Airbnb – an online marketplace that allows you to rent your home or spare room to guests from around the world.
A quick scroll through the website reveals that Windsor homeowners are charging anything up to £2000 a night on the wedding weekend, with houses along the procession route commanding particularly large sums.
Jane, whose house in central Windsor enjoys views of the castle, is a long-term user of Airbnb. Even before the wedding date was confirmed she was inundated with requests from American and Australian news channels.
“Once the date was set, the house was booked by a UK company within a couple of days,” she says.
Will she watch the wedding herself?
“Absolutely,” she confirms. “Our daughter in particular is very excited, so we’ll definitely be watching on TV. And we will enjoy all the build-up in the town before the big day too.”
Nor is the phenomenon confined to Windsor. According to Airbnb, bookings in Maidenhead are up by 362% on last May, in Reading by 57% and, in the unlikely tourist hotspot of Slough, by a whopping 1,438%. The company predicts that homeowners in Windsor will receive a total income of £126,800 over the wedding weekend.
For richer for poorer
While many Windsorians are plotting how to make money from their property in the build-up to the wedding, fierce debates about homelessness have been raging.
For Richer For Poorer is a non-profit brand that hopes to celebrate the occasion while raising money for homeless people in the town. It offers a range of commemorative products – everything from bunting to mugs – all decorated with a bespoke crest by illustrator Alex Machin that combines regal imagery with symbols of rough sleeping.
All proceeds from the range go to the homeless of Windsor – the brand is a collaboration with the Windsor Homeless Project. A fridge magnet buys a week of hot meals, a T-shirt means fresh socks for someone living on the streets, while the pièce de résistance is a £5,000 plate which covers all costs associated with rehoming someone for a year.
“Prince Harry and Meghan are both passionately committed to supporting those in need, including the UK’s homeless,” said Murphy James of the Windsor Homeless Project.
For Richer For Poorer products will be available in local store Vinegar Hill.
Windsor predicts…
The Dress
Who’s better placed to make guesses about the wedding than expert Windsor business owners? Like Carla Stanton, owner of Windsor & Eton Brides.
“I’d love to see Meghan in a fitted, fishtail gown with a big detachable overskirt she could take off for the evening do,” she tells me. “There’s an idea that having two dresses is extravagant, so a two-in-one dress is a nice, frugal idea.”
Carla thinks the dress will be ivory, and that it will definitely feature lace.
“It’ll have a high, elegant neckline, and she will wear a veil. She’ll want to look unique, while still clearly fitting in.”
The Flowers
“Traditionally royals have a shower bouquet – a long teardrop,formal and structured,” explains Natalie from Luxe Flowers in Eton, who nonetheless thinks that Meghan will carry something a little more modern.
“A free-flowing, natural styled posy would be good. Beautiful peonies sit well amongst textured garden greenery.”
Free form or not, however, Natalie is sure that the bouquet will be traditional in colour, full of white and ivory tones.
Tas Kyprianou
The Hats
Angela Davies, owner of Fascinating Hats and Things, was part of the team who worked on Kate’s wedding dress. But what kinds of hat should we expect to see this time?
“I hope the Queen will wear something a bit more informal,” she tells me. “I would expect her to have a larger, brimmed hat, as that flatters her best.”
Angela predicts that we’ll see a lot of blue –a popular anchor colour this year – matched with “lighter, brighter colours like violet, meadowlark, pink lavender and ultra violet”, while the strong overtones are likely to be chilli and chocolate.
Younger guests may be a little less traditional.
“I hope they use the lovely saucer shapes, which flatter most people, and the lively fascinator styles with tangles of flowers, lace and quills.”
Facebook: @fascinatinghatsandthings
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