British souvenir sellers are cashing in on the international attention on the royal wedding.

It's just four sleeps until Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot.

Royal events like this are huge for the memorabilia industry.

Accredited royal souvenir seller Halcyon Days Chief Executive Pamela Harper told Mike Hosking there's always been a strong interest in royal events, especially in recent years.

"International interest in British royal events and the British royal family, that really has been very strong over the last five years."

Harper says her design team's been closely following all the details of the wedding.

"Once we knew the wedding was going to be in Windsor, then we looked to commemorate Windsor. We've got a lovely range of wedding ribbons which features one of Markle's favourite flowers, the pink peony."

 

LISTEN TO PAMELA HARPER TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

The highly anticipated wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is just days away.

The pair will be tying the knot at Windsor Castle in five days in front of 600 guests and the world's media.

Royal Biographer Kate Nicholl told Mike Hosking the eyes of the world will be on this wedding for good reason.

"This is a boy that we have all watched grow up and come off the rails and redeem himself and go through this remarkable Renaissance and there is the enormousness of Meghan, this is a big American star."

LISTEN ABOVE AS KATE NICHOLL SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

The father of four children killed in a murder-suicide in Western Australia is taking one consolation from what happened.

The children were found dead with their mother and grandparents at a Margaret River farm on Friday.

It's the deadliest shooting in Australia since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.

Australian correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking the father is shattered, but is trying to remain philosophical.

"He said it was so planned that the grandfather had actually planned it and he believed that the children didn't know and wouldn't have gone through too much pain."

LISTEN ABOVE AS STEVE PRICE SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

There's a rich history where prince harry and Meghan Markle will officially get married.

They are going to saying "I do" at St George’s chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle, the same place where Harry was christened when he was three months old.

Windsor historian Dr David Lewis spoke with Mike Hosking about the castle, it’s landscape and the tourism side of it.

The castle is expected to see 180,000 people attend the wedding, both officially invited guests and members of the public, and Lewis said it will be interesting to see how the castle copes. “It will be pretty crowded, I should think.”

LISTEN TO DAVID LEWIS TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

The US drug buying system is being held up as the culprit for driving up the price of pharmaceuticals in America - not foreign agencies.

Donald Trump is blaming foreign countries' centralised drug buying agencies, like Pharmac, for ripping off US companies by negotiating a good price.

Otago University's Professor Les Toop told Mike Hosking the problem lies within America's own system.

The head of the University's Department of General Practice says prices are driven by what the market will pay.

"Examples like the EpiPen and things that people who have life threatening anaphylaxis, the price of that medicine [...] has gone up sixfold in the US in the last 10 years because they don't have a mechanism to control the price."

LISTEN ABOVE AS LES TOOP SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING

The pre-Budget announcement for the early childhood sector has come as welcome news for many in the industry.

There'll be a $21 million investment over four years, to predominantly focus on children with learning and behavioural issues.

Some say it doesn't live up to expectations, but others believe it will bring a much-needed increase in funding for children who need support.

Early Childhood Council chief executive Peter Reynolds told Mike Hosking the sector's been in survival mode for some period.

"The average childcare centre over the last 10 years has lost something like $103,000 off their bottom line in terms of subsidy funding from Government."

It's a terribly exciting time in the UK as the country gears up for the royal wedding.

From the crowds of locals and tourists to the merchandise being sold to the fashion companies waiting with baited breath to see what Meghan Markle is wearing.

It all begs the question - how much is the British monarchy worth to Britain?

UK business valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance have crunched the numbers.

CEO David Haigh told Mike Hosking that they estimate it will be worth about one billion pounds to the British economy. 

He says that the royal wedding is basically free advertising.

LISTEN TO DAVID HAIGH TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

Former All Blacks coach, John Hart, says the NZ Rugby union have made the right move in releasing Hurricane's captain Brad Sheilds to play for England, however reluctant they may have been to do so.

LISTEN ABOVE AS JOHN HART TALKS TO MIKE HOSKING

Every Friday Tim Wilson and Kate Hawkesby join Mike Hosking to discuss the week's best bits.

This week's highlights were: the NZ Radio Awards, the 'Citizen's Inheritance'  and the kiwi boss who took all his staff to Vegas

The New Zealand Rugby League has confirmed Michael Maguire's appointment as the new Kiwis head coach.

Maguire has signed a four-year deal with the NZRL having made a long-term commitment to get the Kiwis back on track following last year's abysmal World Cup campaign under former coach David Kidwell.

LISTEN ABOVE AS MICHAEL MAGUIRE SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING