Whether by curious coincidence or conspiracy, Prince William’s wedding, like those of Prince Charles and the Queen before him, will happen during a year of historic austerity.
When the Queen married Prince Philip in November 1947, the country was experiencing its worst year of postwar belt-tightening and sharp questions were asked about the appropriateness and cost of the ceremony.
While the sepia-tinted version of history suggests a mood of unalloyed national delight, the reality for many was different. “I think it’s a damn waste of money,” one lower middle-class woman told the Mass-Observation survey. “I don’t see why she should have everything when there are so many who have to make do with makeshift weddings.”
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