Locals outraged at Dua Lipa and Callum Turner's wedding as city turns into chaos
Topics: Dua Lipa, Elton John, Weddings
Thomas Bamford
Featured Image Credit: Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Elton John AIDS Foundation
Topics: Dua Lipa, Elton John, Weddings
Dua Lipa and Callum Turner's lavish Sicilian wedding celebrations have divided locals in Palermo, with some residents welcoming the global attention while others say the city has been turned upside down for days on end.
The couple, who exchanged vows in London last weekend, are marking their nuptials over two days in the Sicilian capital, with a guest list that reportedly includes Harry Styles, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Donatella Versace, Charli XCX and Mark Ronson. The Italian media has been billing it as the wedding of the year.
On the ground in Palermo, though, the mood is more complicated. Road closures, security cordons and general disruption have frustrated residents who have spent days parking miles from work and navigating around event staff and TV crews stationed across the city's historic centre.
"Sometimes it feels as though the city is becoming a theme park," said Concetta Chillemi, speaking to the Guardian. She is a shop owner near the Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Palermo, one of the venues being used for the celebrations, reflecting wider concerns about mass tourism and the high-profile events that intensify it.
Advert
The frustration is shared by others working near the event. Clarissa, a bar worker close to the gallery, told the Guardian she is a fan of Dua Lipa, but said the disruption has gone too far.
"It has brought a lot of problems - for example, for three days we've been forced to park miles away and walk to work," she said. "It's not right to block the city - I could understand if it was for the pope, but not for a singer."
Not everyone sees it that way. Concetta Picciuca, a hotel worker and self-described Dua Lipa fan, said the event is good for Palermo's economy and suggested grumbling locals should simply switch to cycling.
"There are people who complain, but I think the event is a good thing because it's good for the economy," she said.
Palermo's mayor, Roberto Lagalla, echoed that sentiment, describing the disruption as a "small sacrifice" for significant gains in visibility and tourism revenue.
"Palermo is popular for weddings, whether among famous people or not, because it is a welcoming city," he said.
The couple arrived in Palermo by private jet on Thursday night and are staying at Villa Igiea, a five-star art nouveau hotel where an entire floor of suites has been booked for around 200 guests.
Friday's celebrations are expected to include a private tour of the Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Palermo, before guests join the newlyweds at the Palazzo Gangi opposite, where Elton John is rumoured to be playing piano.
On Saturday, the celebrations move to Bagheria, a nearby town, where the evening venue is Villa Valguarnera, an 18th-century palace owned by a descendant of Sicilian aristocracy and used as a filming location for Netflix's Il Gattopardo.
Locals there are similarly split. "I like Dua Lipa but what will we get out of all this disruption?" said Maria Aiello, a clothes shop owner. "It's not as if she's going to come and buy anything from my shop."
Dua Lipa's connection with Palermo appears to date back to 2023, when she was photographed wearing the pink shirt of Palermo football club as part of a Foot Locker Europe campaign.
UNILAD has approached representatives for Dua Lipa and Callum Turner for comment.