Leader: Going the extra mile for a capital Royal Wedding

A ROYAL wedding on the Royal Mile? But it's a private occasion, so we're told.

Zara Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne, a patron of the Scottish Rugby Union, getting married to Mike Tindall, a rugby player from a neighbouring country?

It's purely a family affair, officials insist. Kate Middleton, now one of the world's most celebrated women among the guests? We must stay away, say the police, and not block the Canongate. An estimated bill of around 500,000 for security, policing, traffic diversion and management arrangements? Oh, do step forward. It's your duty to pay.

As preparations for the wedding have intensified, the public have been curious to learn details of the service, when the guests might be arriving and where the best vantage points might be. These are questions the authorities are not keen to answer. But if the couple wanted a private wedding, why hold the ceremony in one of the most prominent churches in Edinburgh, in one of the capital's most famous streets, and with some of the most famous people as guests - while expecting the populace to pay for the policing - and stay away? We appreciate the desire for privacy and a low-key occasion - but the couple should not be surprised if the public turns up to see the happy event.