Approximately 10,000 people gathered on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to witness the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Philips, who is 13th in line to the throne, marry England rugby star Mike Tindall.
The wedding, which marks Scotland’s first Royal nuptials in almost 20 year, was the second royal wedding to be held in the UK this year.
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s televised wedding, which was attended by celebrities and dignitaries, brought a million visitors to London in May, with an estimated two billion people in 180 countries watching on TV and 40 million tuning in via the internet.
In contrast, there was no red carpet or horse drawn carriage at the wedding of Zara and Mike, which was an altogether quieter affair. Ever since Princess Anne declined to accept titles for her children, Zara has played down her royal link.
But despite Mike and Zara’s wedding being closed to the press and the public, tourist bosses have anticipated economic benefits for Scotland, which has a wealth of royal attractions that visitors can enjoy. These include Palace of Holyrood, Edinburgh Castle and Royal Britannia.