In the U.S., you have to get up pretty early to watch the royal wedding on Saturday, with coverage starting at 5 a.m. ET. Still, more Americans plan to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot at Windsor Castle than those who say they watched Prince William and Kate Middleton's nuptials, according to a new survey from SurveyMonkey Audience and Vanity Fair.
Royal fever is running rampant in the U.S., reveals the survey of 1,001 adults ages 18 and up.
Nearly half (49 percent) of survey respondents said they plan to watch the royal wedding, with a third of all respondents claiming they are more likely to watch because Markle is an American. In contrast, only 39 percent of survey respondents said they watched Prince William and Kate's big day in 2011.
Since the announcement of their engagement, Markle — an American actress who's had gigs from being a model on NBC's "Deal or No Deal" game show to starring in USA Network show "Suits" — has been hailed as relatable, possibly due to her calligraphy side hustle, or her family drama (though 81 percent of survey respondents said the media attention on Markle has been mostly positive).
But despite their interest in Markle, survey respondents are more excited to see Prince William and Kate's little ones. When asked, "Who are you interested in seeing at the royal wedding?" the most popular answer was Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. They beat out the bride herself (she ranked second), as well as Queen Elizabeth.
Over half of Americans are interested in the British royal family, according to the survey, and nearly half of those interested say it's because they "enjoy watching a fairy tale." Other reasons included to feel a part of history and for entertainment value.
Americans, it seems, will get what they are looking for.
The wedding is estimated to cost $2.7 million (£2 million), with an additional $40.1 million (£30 million) being allocated for security. Food — which has been said to include fresh, seasonal produce and a lemon elderflower cake — and beverages are estimated to cost $680,000, and flowers a whopping $130,000. Meanwhile, Markle's wedding dress is estimated to cost $270,000.
The SurveyMonkey Audience and Vanity Fair survey was conducted using SurveyMonkey Audience between May 15 and 16, with a representative U.S. sample of 1,001 adults ages 18 and up.
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