Why Eugenie’s wedding will probably be MORE star-studded than Prince Harry’s

Former Palace Press Secretary Dickie Arbiter said it'll be the first time Sarah Ferguson will have been in a formal gathering with the royal family for a long, long time.

Added: 25/01/2018 13:21:48

THE second royal wedding has been announced for 2018 – Princess Eugenie, 27, and her boyfriend of seven years Jack Brooksbank, 31.

But what can we expect from the big day and will it be overshadowed by Prince Harry tying the knot to Meghan Markle in May? This is what the Queen’s former aide Dickie Arbiter predicts…

(Princess Eugenie is engaged to her long-term boyfriend Jack Brooksbank Credit: AFP)

Both of the weddings will be held this year at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, but will Eugenie’s be on a smaller scale?

Speaking to the Sun Online, Former Palace Press Secretary Dickie said a full royal turnout would be expected for both the Queen’s grandson Harry and her granddaughter Eugenie, but there could be a big difference in the guest list.

Dickie said: “Harry and Meghan will be very conscious that the guest list will be the people that they want.

“In the case of Harry being sixth in line for the throne and his father being heir to the throne, there might well be some people who they have to invite in terms of protocol.

(The pair became engaged in Nicaragua earlier this month)

(Former Palace Press Secretary Dickie Arbiter gave his predictions for Princess Eugenie's wedding and said it is likely to be very similar to Prince Harry's day. Credit: PA Press Association)

“That sort of situation won’t fall on Eugenie because she is number nine in line for the throne so pretty low down the food chain."

“Is Harry a celebrity groupie? Not really. Is Eugenie a celebrity groupie? Well probably," Dickie added.

“She’s got a lot more celebrity friends than Harry has so the guest list would probably differ.”

And despite tying the knot at the same venue, Prince Harry’s day will most likely include some extra duties.

Dickie said: “At the end of the day a wedding is a wedding and the ceremony itself will be very much like Harry’s.

“Having said that Harry is number six in line, he would undoubtedly probably do a carriage drive or a walk about Windsor.

“I would image a carriage ride after the wedding, whether Eugenie does the same, well that really remains to be seen.”

St George’s Chapel seats around 800 guests for the ceremony, and Dickie predicts both Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie will head next door to St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle for the reception.

He said: “I would have thought for that number of people that St George’s Hall, the Grand Reception Room, Waterloo Chamber – they are all interlinked those three rooms – so the likelihood is it could well be there.

“There has been no details given or announcement but it would make sense that if you have 800 that would be a way to accommodate them.”

However Dickie insists that you shouldn’t expect Eugenie’s wedding to be any more relaxed than Prince Harry’s.

The palace insider said: “You look at Harry and you look at Meghan. I think it’ll be pretty relaxed. The only time people think it won’t be relaxed is when you have a full turnout of the royal family, but no, it’ll be very relaxed.”

Dickie confirmed that Princess Eugenie will be given away by her dad Prince Andrew.

He said: “Oh yes, fathers always give their daughters away. I would hope that Meghan’s father will give her away."

“We know he is reclusive living in Mexico, but it would be such a shame if he didn’t."

“The interesting part of the whole set up is that Eugenie’s mother would be there.W

“That would be the first time she would be in a formal gathering with the royal family for a long, long time.”

(Eugenie, 27, cried when Mr Brooksbank got down on one knee in a sunset proposal. Credit: Rex Features)

However Dickie insists that despite Sarah Ferguson, 58, and Prince Andrew, 57, separating in 1996, that the wedding day will be peaceful.

He said: “The family are very polite, extremely polite and they will welcome her as mother of the bride and that’s it.

“At the end of the day, she and Andrew will go back to Royal Lodge and the rest of the family will go back to their respective homes and Eugenie and Jack will go on their honeymoon."

“Everything will be right. She and Andrew are living under the same roof. Everything is still friendly."

“They have been first-class parents. They’ve been joint parents for the two girls growing up, things happening at school, they’ve been there."

“They’ve been model parents.”

(The pair are set to marry here at St George's Chapel where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will wed in May. Credit: ALAMY)

Dickie predicted that Princess Beatrice would play a big part in her sister’s wedding day and would most likely be a bridesmaid.

He said: “That is the billion dollar question. I’d be surprised if she wasn’t. Matron of honour probably as she is older.”

The former Palace Press Secretary spoke about whether Princess Eugenie’s fiancé Jack will get a title after they get married.

(Dickie insisted that you shouldn’t expect Eugenie’s wedding to be any more relaxed than Prince Harry’s. Credit: GETTY-Contributor)

He said: “When you get a male member of the royal family, the female adopts the name of the male member."

“But the male ‘commoner’ doesn’t adopt the name of the female royal member."

“You may remember a story some time ago appeared about the Duke of York allegedly wanting prospective grooms of his daughters to have a title, but there was a suggestion that the Prince of Wales had vetoed that."

“You may remember a story some time ago appeared about the Duke of York allegedly wanting prospective grooms of his daughters to have a title, but there was a suggestion that the Prince of Wales had vetoed that.