Guess who’s the most excited about the upcoming royal wedding? Indians.
More than half of Indians (54% to be precise) polled by UK market research firm Ipsos MORI say they’re interested in news about the upcoming wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. That’s more enthusiasm that any other country that the firm surveyed, including Britain, where only 34% of respondents said they care about the big wedding due to held on May 19.
The online survey, conducted between late March and early April, included responses from 20,793 adults aged between 16 and 64 across 28 countries.
It appears that India’s intense interest in the marriage ceremony of Markle and the prince stems from a heightened awareness of happenings in the British royal family. Globally, only three in ten respondents wanted to be up-to-date with general news about the royal family. In India, Ipsos MORI found that some 55% wanted to stay in the loop about the affairs of the House of Windsor.
Prince Harry’s wedding is likely an especially talked-about affair in India because he is among the most-liked royals in the country, second only to the queen herself.
India to UK
Also, tomorrow’s royal event will have some special Indian connections.
The Myna Mahila Foundation is the only non-UK-based charity that has been chosen by the royal couple for people to donate to in lieu of wedding presents, the BBC reported. The Mumbai-based NGO’s founder Suhani Jalota and two members from her team will be attending.
Rosie Ginday, an Indian-origin pastry chef who runs the social enterprise Macaroons that Make a Difference (MacsMAD), has received an invite as well.
Markle’s friend and Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, recently more famous for her fledgling American showbiz career, will reportedly be in attendance, too.