Thaindian News

London, Nov 20 (ANI): A poll has revealed that Britons, although happy for Prince William and Kate Middleton, want the Royal Family to foot the wedding bill and not ask taxpayers to pay from their pockets.

More than 80 per cent of those interviewed sent a strong message saying taxpayers must not be asked to fund the occasion with only 4 per cent believing the state should shoulder the cost.

William and Middleton are expected to ask Prince Charles and the Queen to cover much of the cost to avoid a national backlash, reports The Daily Mail.

A clear majority think the wedding will cheer the nation and that the marriage will strengthen the monarchy.

More than two-thirds think William will make a successful king and, although they know very little about Kate, fewer than 10 per cent say she will not make a good queen.

Only 18 per cent believe we would be better off without a Royal Family - compared with 28 per cent in a survey published ahead of Charles and Camilla’s wedding in 2005.

Women especially are touched by the fact that William presented Kate with his mother’s engagement ring. Two-thirds of women and 46 per cent of men believe the sapphire-and-diamond design is ’stylish and elegant’.

Despite the opulence though, most Britons believe it should be a relatively modest affair, otherwise all the extravagance could make people resentful of the gap between rich and poor. (ANI)