Late last year, the Palace announced that Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II and Kate's parents will cover the wedding ceremony and reception. Reportedly, Kate's parents are shelling out a six-figure sum as their share of the costs, which could total upwards of $70 million.

untless cops who will swarm London looking for malingerers, or just commoners who don't look quite tickety boo

Originally, that cost was estimated at more than $8 million.

The service, at 11am on 29 April, will be conducted by the dean of the abbey, the Very Rev John Hall. The archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, will marry the couple and the Right Rev Richard Chartres, the bishop of London and a longstanding friend of the royal family, will give the address.

The reception is being funded by the royal family with the Middletons, who are wealthy from their business in children's party accessories, chipping in. The state will bear the cost of security and the troops on parade will be drawn from detachments already on duty in London.

They come from a modest, middle-class background. But it emerged yesterday that Kate Middleton's 'extremely generous' parents will pay towards their daughter’s royal wedding to the second in line to the throne.

The cost of the wedding – including the service, music, flowers, decorations, receptions and honeymoon

The dress will cost at least £40,000, while flowers to fill the Abbey and Buckingham Palace could set them back £200,000 to £500,000, bridal expert Sarah Haywood said.

But in the months leading up to the wedding, the expenses involved were being relentlessly researched and the royal family was under pressure to put forth a sophisticated but relatively modest wedding. Those who believe the existence o

As for the wedding venue, the use of Westminster Abbey was free of charge

This economic cost naturally begs the question of whether a state-funded monarchy, the recipient of approximately $60 million per year from taxpayers, should still exist and continue to be funded. With 3 billion viewers worldwide, the wedding certainly indicated a degree of both domestic and international interest in the royal family

The cost of providing security alone for the nuptials is expected to run into millions of pounds at a time when police budgets are extremely stretched.

It is not for the taxpayer to pay for any part of this event - the Windsors must cough up.

If people are being told to tighten their belts,