When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in May there were celebrations all over the country, including a huge 500-person party in Chelsea Physic Garden.
This morning Britain experienced the second royal wedding of the year as another of the Queen’s grandchildren, Princess Eugenie, 28, married her fiance Jack Brooksbank, 32, at Windsor Castle.
But this time there was no sign of celebration in Chelsea Physic Garden, which last year hosted a live screening of the wedding and a best hat contest.
In some parts of Windsor today, there were more police present than well-wishers. Likewise, the Physic Garden remained quiet and almost deserted, save for a few visitors and a primary school trip.
RIGHT ROYAL MAKEOVER: different scenes in Chelsea Physic Garden today (left) and in May.
Retired gardener Geoff Finch, 69, was at the park today.
He said: “I didn’t know it was going on until I heard it on the radio today.”
In a contrast to the fame Duchess of Sussex Meghan enjoys, park visitors struggled to give details about Eugenie’s newly royal husband, former nightclub manager Jack Brooksbank.
Mr Finch said: “I’d never heard of him until I heard them say the name when I was listening to the news.”
Gardener Catriona Toplis, 54, said: “Is he a nightclub manager or something? He was in the news this morning.
“I shan’t be following it.”
Her husband Paul Toplis, a retired musician, added: “It’s somebody Brooks isn’t it?
“I’ve got nothing against the Royals, but they’re fairly minor Royals.”
So minor, it seems, that some people aren’t sure exactly who got married today.
A woman who wished to remain anonymous said: “It’s Beatrice isn’t it? One of those.”
On Mr Brooksbank, she offered: “I think he’s in the military.”
She said she wasn’t very interested in Eugenie’s section of the Royal family — but would be if Eugenie’s mother Sarah Ferguson got remarried to Prince Andrew.
Of the reported £2m security bill for today’s nuptials, a spokesman for anti-monarchy campaign group Republic said to the Independent: “Most Brits opposed taxpayer funding of Prince Harry’s wedding but as with all royal events were forced to accept it. But there’s something different about Friday’s royal wedding, and people aren’t happy.
“The monarchy is stretching its public support to breaking point. There’s a real risk Friday’s wedding will damage the royals for a long time to come.”
Fiorucci Art Trust founder Nicoletta Fiorucci, 61, watched Harry and Meghan’s wedding in May on Instagram.
She said: “I enjoyed it, I think it was a very fresh ceremony.”
But she wasn’t as keen to watch Princess Eugenie’s big day, although she said she might tune in if it popped up on her social media.
Guests at the wedding in St George’s chapel included Prince William and Kate, Stephen Fry, and Naomi Campbell.
Feature image shows St George’s chapel.
