Thaindian News

London, Dec 18 (ANI): It has emerged that the Royal Family would pay only a small sum to Westminster Abbey for hosting next year’s royal wedding.

This will leave the church struggling with the financial strain.

One senior official involved in the planning process described the payment offered to the Abbey as ‘a mere gesture’ which ‘in no way’ covers the financial toll the wedding will take.

“Contrary to what many people believe it is a gesture - a token fee - and nothing more,” the Daily Mail quoted a source as saying.

It is estimated that hosting Prince William and Kate Middleton’s big day will cost the 1,000-year-old Abbey up to 2million pounds.

Much of this will be down to lost revenue as the building and its precincts will be closed to the public for a week to prepare for the event, move in television cameras and create a ’sterile’ security zone.

Abbey receives no financial assistance from the Church Commissioners, the Government or the Crown.

Instead, it is run as a charity funded by visitor charges, public donations and a small portfolio of investments. Last year, it earned 15.4million pounds but cost 14million pounds to run.

Sources say the church is set to lose an estimated 500,000 pounds in door-takings and will be forced to cancel dozens of services that bring in thousands of pounds.

Senior personnel have introduced a series of belt-tightening measures, including cancelling the staff Christmas party and stopping essential maintenance to areas such as staff and storage rooms.

“While Prince William’s wedding will be good for us in many ways in terms of publicity and future visits, many people who work here are very concerned at the financial impact it will have on the Abbey,” said one senior member of staff.

“There is a lot of grumbling from people who feel that the Royal Family should contribute more given the size of the occasion,” he added.

Meanwhile, an Abbey spokesman confirmed that it would be shut to the public for several days but denied it would suffer financial hardship.

“The Royal Family will be contributing financially but the wedding is four months away and we cannot discuss details,” he said.

“It is true that it will be shut for several days, primarily to move in the television cameras, but it is a logistical thing. The staff Christmas party has been cancelled this year but this is due to building work which means we have nowhere to hold it,” he added.

“The wedding is a routine event for us and will not be a financial strain,” he said.

“The Royal Household has a good working relationship with the Abbey and we will never comment on costs,” a St James’s Palace spokesman added. (ANI)