Republic campaigns for the monarchy to be abolished and the Queen to be replaced with an elected, democratic head of state. Graham Smith, the organisation’s CEO, told Express.co.uk that Prince William and Prince Harry’s royal weddings should have been as small as Princess Beatrice’s wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Mr Smith said: “I think it was far too extravagant anyway as was Harry’s and was William’s.
“These are essentially private events that turn into spectacles which end up costing us millions of pounds on things like security and disruption to normal business.
“The way Beatrice’s wedding was is what all of them should have done.
“That was obvious from as far back as 10 years ago when William and Kate announced their engagement.”
Prince William and Kate got married in April 2011 at Westminster Abbey.
Princess Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi last month in a ceremony at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
The wedding was delayed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
As a result of the pandemic the couple chose to have a much smaller wedding than was originally planned.
The CEO of Republic also told Express.co.uk that the UK does not owe the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge an income or a role.
Mr Smith claimed: “The monarchy in general costs a lot more than the royal household admits to.
“It is about £345million from the taxpayer every year, it needs to be stripped right back.
“We do not owe Prince William and Kate an income, we do not owe them a role, we don’t owe them anything.
“They can go off and do their own thing.”
He added: “The monarchy is there to give us one person and that is the head of state, the Queen.
“The Queen should therefore be on an annual salary similar to that of the Prime Minister.
“The costs should be stripped away so that we can save that £345million and just provided us with a head of state who is supported by a small office.”
