With only 4.5 months until the royal wedding takes place, Windsor Council is in full prep-mode.
While Meghan Markle has reportedly chosen who will walk her down the aisle and Prince Harry has elected his best man, the security details of their upcoming wedding have taken a controversial turn.
According to The Guardian, Simon Dudley, the council’s Conservative leader, wrote to Thames Valley police recently seeking action against “aggressive begging and intimidation” by the homeless.
“It is becoming increasingly concerning to see the quantities of bags and detritus that those begging are accumulating and leaving on our pavements, at times unattended, thus presenting a security risk,” he wrote.
“Obviously, the level of tourist interest is set to multiply with the Royal Wedding in May 2018, and there are increased concerns from our residents about their safety. The whole situation also presents a beautiful town in a sadly unfavourable light.”
Dudley then went on to say he believes many of those begging are “not in fact homeless, but making a lifestyle choice.”
His comments have gone down like a lead balloon amongst charity groups and people who, you know, actually give a toss about the wellbeing of homeless people.
Murphy James, of Windsor Homeless Project told the Independent: “It’s absolutely abhorrent that anybody has got these views in this day and age, especially a lead councillor of the borough.
“If somebody is sleeping out on the street they are not there by choice, they are there because something has gone wrong.”
While Kensington Palace is yet to comment on the issue, we’re betting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be less than thrilled to think their wedding is causing any distress for the homeless.
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