Harry and Meghan's bombshell Oprah interview won't dent Britain's $694 million royals tourism business, says a leading tour operator
- The royal family generates an estimated $694 million in tourism dollars for Britain every year.
- Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview won't affect UK tourism, a leading tour operator predicts.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey presented a damning indictment of the royal family, raising concerns ranging from racism to lack of regard for mental health.
After the interview aired on Sunday night, social media users took to Twitter calling for an end to the monarchy.
Despite the current commotion, the interview won't have a permanent effect on tourism to England, Nikki Emms, operations director at British Tours, told Insider.
"Americans and other overseas visitors have always been fascinated by the British monarchy," Emms said. "While it is possible the interview will dissuade some people from visiting the UK, the monarchy has survived so many crises from civil war to the abdication, it seems likely they will bounce back from any negative publicity."
British Tours runs between 6,000 and 7,000 private tours of England per year, and approximately 65% of their clients are American.
The pomp and circumstance of the royal family are frequently cited as one of the largest drivers of tourism to Britain.
In 2017, brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance reported that visits to royal attractions like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Palace contribute an estimated $694 million (£550 million) annually to tourism, making it the largest contribution by the monarchy to the British economy.
Almost one-third of all inbound trips to Britain include a visit to castles or historic houses, VisitBritain communications director Julia Gordin told Insider.
Fifty percent of British Tours trips include a visit to royal sites like Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, and the Tower of London, Emms said.
"In the past, the major royal interviews were those with Diana and Charles. Everything about Diana led to more intrigue and, if anything, led to more Americans wanting to travel to the UK and see the locations where the lives of the royals played out," Emms added. "With regards to the less senior members of the royal family, I don't think interviews have made that much difference."