Princess Eugenie’s royal wedding plans suffer humiliating blow

PRINCESS Eugenie’s dreams for a lavish wedding next month have suffered a major setback — and the reason is quite the blow to a royal ego.

ANOTHER British TV network could step in and provide coverage of Princess Eugenie’s wedding after the BBC reportedly passed up the chance — saying it would be a ratings flop.

Prince Andrew, 58, was trying to broker a deal with the British Broadcasting Corporation to cover his daughter’s big day to Jack Brooksbank, but talks are said to have broken down, The Sun reports.

Currently UK taxpayers are set to cough up $AU3.6 million to cover the cost of the Queen’s granddaughter’s big day.

However courtiers have been told the national broadcaster wasn’t interested as it wouldn’t bring in enough viewers, according to the Mail on Sunday.

But commercial broadcaster ITV could now be poised to step in with full coverage of the royal wedding after Sky said it would only be showing highlights throughout the day.

A source told the paper: “From the outset the instruction from the very top was that Eugenie’s wedding must be televised.

It’s now unclear who will televise Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank. Picture: Getty

“The BBC was approached because they have a special relationship with Buckingham Palace and a formula that works.

“But they turned it down because they don’t think enough people will tune in and that there isn’t enough support for the Yorks.

“The feeling at the Palace is that the BBC has dropped the ball. At the end of the day this is going to be a huge royal wedding, with all the senior members of the Royal Family in attendance.

“But nobody wants to take the risk and spend the money it would cost to put it on air.”

The Duke of York’s youngest daughter, 28, is due to tie the knot on October 12, in Windsor Castle — the same venue as her cousin, Prince Harry, who recently wed Meghan Markle in a lavish ceremony.

Harry and Meghan’s May wedding was a huge story worldwide. Picture: Getty

Prince Andrew believes his daughter should enjoy the same level of attention as Harry with the taxpayer set to pick up the bill.

Police are planning to throw a ring of steel around Windsor Castle for Princess Eugenie’s wedding with security measures expected to be on the same level as when Harry and Meghan got married in May. Prince Andrew is said to a have demanded a similar wedding for his daughter with Sarah Ferguson with the accompanying pomp and pageantry.

Beefed up security measures are likely to include swarms of armed officers, a ban on drones flying over the castle and coppers lining the route.

Princess Eugenie (centre) with fiancee Jack Brooksbank and mother Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. Picture: Getty

Policing Eugenie’s wedding was initially set to cost around $AU1.36 million but this is said to have increased due to overtime, cancelling holidays and the need for extra patrols.

A spokeswoman for the Palace told The Sun: “The media arrangements for Princess Eugenie’s wedding have not been made public yet. We will do so in the next few weeks.”

This story originally appeared on The Sun and is republished here with permission.