Who Pays For Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Wedding? A Breakdown Of Expenses

Their wedding will be one of the biggest events in the world come May, and is sure to come with an expensive overall price tag. However, the actual individual costs of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding may be divided up in unexpected ways.

Who pays for what when it comes to the royal wedding? Here's a breakdown of all the expenses and just who covers what.

Queen Elizabeth And The Royal Family Are Footing The Bulk of The Bill

A bride's family traditionally foots the bill of her wedding, but in this case, royal tradition and protocol actually dictates that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles are going to actually cover a large portion of the funds. Shortly after announcing the pair's engagement in November, Kensington Palace confirmed that, similarly to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, the royal family was going to cover the core royal wedding expenses, including the service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, the music, flowers, decorations and reception.

British Taxpayers Have A Hand In The Cost

One big element for the couple's wedding that isn't usually a concern for average couples is the security that is needed for their nuptials. This may be one of the biggest expenses for the wedding overall, and while it is expected to be cheaper than the security cost that was attached to William and Kate's nuptials, it will be still be high.

That cost for this expense will be covered by the British taxpayers, as it has always been. The money they contribute will likely include things like overtime pay for officers who work the wedding, but the fact that it comes at the taxpayer's dime has led to political opponents once again calling for the monarchy to be abolished entirely.

Markle Will Also Contribute

While the royal family and the British people may be covering some of the larger expenses, there is a chance that Markle herself will be covering a part of the wedding—her dress.

Town and Country Magazine stated it is likely that Markle will cover the cost of her gown, which isn't too surprising if true, as Kate Middleton's parents are expected to have covered the cost of her $400,000 Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown at her wedding. If the bride or her family traditionally cover the funds for the dress, then it's reasonable to believe it would happen again.

What About Her Family?

Of course, this begs the question as to whether Markle's family, specifically her parents, Doria Radlan and Thomas Markle, are contributing to the wedding, and if so, how much.

Middleton's parents, who were wealthy business owners, contributed to her wedding through the dress, but are also believed to have paid for rooms at the pricey Goring Hotel for family members and guests of the wedding. However, Markle's parents, whom are divorced, likely make less money. Her father is a former television cinematographer and lighting designer who not lives a reclusive life in Mexico, and her mother is a social worker and yoga instructor. Though they could still contribute somewhere, they likely won't be able to contribute a huge sum of money.