Fasten your fascinators, ladies, and settle in for another royal wedding! Princess Eugenie is getting married tonight (Australian time) and it’s safe to say we’re excited!
Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York, 28, is to marry her long-time love, Jack Brooksbank, 31, today in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the very same venue her cousin, His Royal Highness Prince Harry of Wales, married American actress Meghan Markle to the world’s adoration back in May.
Royal fan Kerry Evans from Hull, UK, bags her spot in Windsor ahead of the wedding of Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. (Source: Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan enjoyed unprecedented interest in their union, which inspired an impressive array of royal wedding memorabilia. From your standard keyrings, tea towels and commemorative china to impressive swimming costumes, themed condoms and paper dolls, Prince Harry’s wedding was a gift to tacky souvenir enthusiasts everywhere.
READ: Best royal wedding merchandise: From weird to wonderful
The memorabilia commemorating Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding was unprecedented.
But here’s the thing … Princess Eugenie’s forthcoming nuptials haven’t inspired the same merchandise push that Prince Harry’s did. Word on the streets of Windsor is that royal wedding merchandise is filling shop windows, but it’s not Princess Eugenie and her betrothed featured on the products; it’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
A number of Princess Eugenie novelty face masks have been located at some Windsor shops and, according to The Argus Press, some shopkeepers say they’re feeling confident interest and sales will increase in the hours leading up to Princess Eugenie’s wedding.
But how can that happen when there’s no Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank commemorative wedding merchandise to sell? Salman Khan at The King and Queen gift shop in Windsor told The Argus Press that ‘Eugenie items’ had been difficult to find because only a few suppliers are manufacturing them. “It’s going to be shirts and some mugs. A few people have been asking for it, but compared to Harry-Meghan, it’s not that big,” he told the newspaper.
Should you fancy it, you can buy Princess Eugenie ‘party masks’ from gift shops in Windsor.
Thank goodness, then, for The Royal Collection Shop, who have released the official commemorative china to celebrate Princess Eugenie and Jack Brookbank’s big day. The collection is gorgeous, designed with a monogram surmounted by the cornet of Princess Eugenie beside the couple’s conjoined monogram. It features garlands of ivy woven with traditional English bluebells, forget-me-nots and the white rose of York.
The products are surprisingly affordable (although for those of us who live outside of the UK, the cost of international postage may prove inhibitive) and profits made from the sale of the collection go back into the Royal Collection Trust charity.
A piece from the official range of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s Commemorative Wedding China (Source: www.royalcollectionshop.co.uk)
Many describe Princess Eugenie as a ‘minor princess’, being a modest ninth in line of succession to the British throne, and turn their noses up at the fuss and fanfare being invested in today’s nuptials.
Indeed, the nation’s public broadcaster BBC did decline to televise her big day, citing a lack of public interest, and there has been significant public outcry in recent weeks bemoaning the escalating cost of security for the event being pinned on the tax payer.
Crowds of happy revellers are lining the streets of Windsor to celebrate the royal wedding.
But enough of the negativity, we say. It’s royal wedding time! We’ll be dolling up in our fanciest frocks and heels tonight (read: dressing gowns and slippers) and tuning into the Seven Network to watch their exclusive coverage of the event. Because, quite frankly, we wouldn’t miss a royal wedding for the world.
We’re watching it for the questionable fashion choices, uncomfortable looking celebrity guests, the muffled smirks, unenthusiastic hymn singing and crowds of crazy-eyed royal enthusiasts donning Union Jacks from head to toe lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can have their questionable commemorative toilet seat covers and polyester bedspreads; Princess Eugenie is getting married today and sales of tacky commemorative merchandise be damned. We’ll be there to witness the occasion and celebrate alongside the British royal family, and raise a toast to the happy couple on their wedding day.
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