Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Wedding: Local Official Wants Homeless & Beggars Off The Streets Before Big Day

A local official is being criticized after claiming that beggars and homeless people must be taken off the streets of Windsor before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding.

On Friday, Simon Dudley, leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, took to Twitter and voiced out his opinion about the upcoming nuptials of the fifth in line to the British throne and the former Suits actress.

In his tweet, Dudley claimed that there has been an “epidemic of rough sleeping and vagrancy” in town and that authorities should “focus on dealing with this before the #RoyalWedding.”

Apparently, the local official believes that such issues will affect Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, especially since it’ll be a major event both locally and internationally.

Aside from his personal tweet, Dudley also wrote a letter to the local Police and Crime Commissioner Anthony Stansfield regarding the same concern, NBC News reported.

In his lengthy letter, he reiterated that beggars and homeless people are becoming a major concern in town. He claimed that the quantities of “bags and detritus” that they accumulate and leave on the pavements are presenting the picturesque English town in a poor light.

Dudley added that with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s impending royal wedding, the level of tourist interest will definitely multiply, adding an increased concern for safety.

“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. 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 unfavorable light. As Leader of the Royal Borough, this situation is totally unacceptable to me and my fellow councilors.”

Interestingly, the local official revealed that the council had invested heavily in support services to assist the beggars and homeless people but there was evidence that many of them were not actually homeless.

Dudley’s controversial statement about removing the beggars and homeless people on the streets drew mixed reactions. While some understood his point, others were not pleased with the idea.

One local commented, “Residents of Windsor disagree with @MrSimonDudley,” while another one defended, “Most of us are fed up with it now. We want our town back!”

Meanwhile, Police and Crime Commissioner Stansfield claimed he was surprised that Dudley’s letter was released to the public. However, he clarified that they would be happy to coordinate with him and listen to any issues.

“I will of course provide (Councillor) Dudley with a full response addressing his concerns once I have received the letter and investigated further the issues he has raised.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will tie the knot at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.