Thursday, April 28, 2011

Prince William and Kate wedding photos and royal family marriage preparation

* Couple trying to 'block out terror' of wedding watched by two billion
* Syrian ambassador told he's not invited after uprising slaughterings
* Rain and thunder could disrupt Royal wedding, forecasters say
* Kate's younger brother James will do the ONLY reading during the service
* Royal pair broke with tradition by writing own message in official programme
* Queen to miss evening reception at Palace and Harry's best man speech

After a final rehearsal at Westminster Abbey, Kate Middleton arrived this evening at the Goring Hotel, where her family are staying ahead of her marriage to Prince William tomorrow.

Wearing a polka-dot dress, the bride-to-be, accompanied by her sister Pippa and mother Carole, waved to the huge crowd which has gathered outside the hotel in Belgravia.

A beaming Kate showed no sign of nerves as she prepares to spend her final night as a single woman - and a commoner.

And royal fans had an extra treat tonight as her husband-to-be greeted well-wishers along The Mall.










Official programme: William and Kate said in their message at the start of the keepsake that they would like 'to thank everyone most sincerely for their kindness'



Official programme: 150,000 copies have been printed of the A5 booklet, costing £2 each, which will be made available along the route on the wedding day by a team of military cadets and Explorer Scouts

Wellwishers: Susanna Buckman, from Maryland, U.S. and Jessica and Chelsea Spence from Zimbabwe in the tented village outside Westminster Abbey this morning




Grinning bride: A smiling Kate Middleton, right, arrives at Westminster Abbey for the last run through. Left, her sister Pippa enters with bridesmaid Grace van Cutsem



Royal father: Prince Charles arrives at Clarence House this morning hours before his son marries Kate Middleton tomorrow


Grinning bride: A smiling Kate Middleton, right, arrives at Westminster Abbey for the last run through. Left, her sister Pippa enters with bridesmaid Grace van Cutsem




New picture: This portrait of Prince William and Kate Middleton by celebrated photographer Mario Testino was published in the official programme




Last practice: Kate Middleton, with her mother Carole and Prince Harry, gets into a Jaguar and leaves Westminster Abbey this morning after a final run through. The next time she will be back there will be for the wedding



Kate Middleton and Prince Harry at the Abbey this morning for the last run-through. Two billion people are expected to watch the ceremony tomorrow







The royal wedding procession has been planned down to the finest detail



Walkabout: The Duchess of Cornwall spoke to royal fans who are camping overnight on The Mall

Best man: Prince Harry joined his brother on the stroll near Clarence House

Prince William greets well-wishers along The Mall ahead of his wedding

The happy prince: Kate's husband-to-be clearly enjoyed chatting with his fans


Flying the flag: The Duchess of Cornwall greets royal fans as she arrives at Clarence House earlier today




Here come the Middletons: Pippa, Kate and mother Carole smile to the crowds as they arrive at the Goring Hotel ahead of Kate's marriage to Prince William tomorrow

Almost there: Kate Middleton and her family receive huge cheers in Belgravia this evening ahead of her wedding at Westminster Abbey.One more night: The bride-to-be and her sister Pippa were all smiles as the big day approaches



Soon to have a prince in the family: Pippa and Carole in Belgravia this evening


It's really happening: Kate reacts to well-wishers outside her hotel


A family affair: Kate outside the Goring Hotel with her sister Pippa and mother Carole this evening



I'm getting married in the morning: The bride-to-be waves to the crowds as she prepares to spend her final night as a single woman and a commoner


Happy memories: The Prime Minister also re-visited the spot where he camped out at for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981


In the mood: David Cameron takes a stroll along The Mall and meets well-wishers





Prince William, accompanied by his brother Harry, shook hands and chatted with the crowd near Clarence House.

Earlier today, Kate was greeted by cheers at the abbey as she was joined by best man Prince Harry - as well as the bridesmaids and pageboys and members of her family - for one last run-through of the big day which will be watched by 2billion people round the globe.

The practice took place as it was revealed Miss Middleton will not promise to 'obey' Prince William in her vows.

Today thousands of royal fans had set up tents outside the Abbey where there was a carnival atmosphere.

As Kate arrived this morning, a huge cheer went up from the royal fans who have been arriving from round the globe.

Waving their Union flags, the crowds greeted the passing Household Cavalry this morning before the bride-to-be arrived for a last run-through.

It is the last time Miss Middleton or a member of the Royal Family will be at the abbey before the service gets under way tomorrow, St James's Palace said.

Later on, the Duchess of Cornwall went out onto the Mall to meet well-wishers and those camping out ahead of tomorrow’s event during an impromptu walkabout.

When asked how she was feeling ahead of the big day, the duchess said: 'We’re all ready for tomorrow - it’s wonderful and all very exciting!

'There’s a great atmosphere out here and it’s so nice to meet people and see how the celebrations are getting underway.'

Today the journalist who carried out the couple's engagement interview said they were attempting to 'block out the terror of having two billion people' watching them tomorrow.

In a personal message to well-wishers, the couple said they were 'incredibly moved' by the affection shown to them since their engagement in the official wedding programme.

Tomorrow modern-thinking Miss Middleton will pledge to 'love, comfort, honour and keep' William.

The soon-to-be royal is following in the footsteps of the Prince's mother Diana who also opted not to 'obey' the Prince of Wales during their wedding ceremony in 1981.

The Queen, Princess Margaret and the Princess Royal all said they would obey their husbands.

William and his fiancee have selected the Series One Book of Common Prayer ceremony, from 1966, which allows the bride to drop 'obey him' and 'serve him' from the religious proceedings.

With William choosing not to wear a wedding ring, only the prince will say 'With this ring I thee wed' as he places the golden band on Kate's finger.


After a lunchtime reception, the Queen will leave Buckingham Palace - and miss Harry's best man speech and the evening party.

She will head out of the capital with the Duke of Edinburgh for a private weekend, leaving the newlyweds to party the night away at a black tie evening reception with their friends.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen would hear a number of speeches at the lunchtime canapes reception for 650 guests, including family, friends, foreign royals, dignitaries and charity workers.

She will see the bride and groom cutting their lavish multi-tiered wedding cake.

A message from the royal couple in the souvenir programme says: 'We are both so delighted that you are able to join us in celebrating what we hope will be one of the happiest days of our lives.


'The affection shown to us by so many people during our engagement has been incredibly moving, and has touched us both deeply.

'We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone most sincerely for their kindness.'

However, as final preparations get underway, rain was threatening to put a dampener on the big day.

Alison Cobb, a meteorologist with Meteogroup, said there was a 'real risk' of Kate Middleton being rained on as she steps from her limousine at 11am to enter Westminster Abbey on her father's arm.

The keepsake souvenir, which includes the full Order of Service for the marriage ceremony tomorrow, also features a new black and white portrait of the couple by the celebrated fashion photographer Mario Testino.

In a close-up shot, both the Prince and Miss Middleton are wearing matching open-necked white shirts and are smiling broadly, with Kate leaning towards William.

In the much anticipated service, the music of famous classical favourites by Elgar, Britten and Vaughan Williams will all sound out around the ancient abbey.

From the popular hymn Jerusalem to the quintessential English melody Greensleeves, the couple have embraced the nation's musical heritage in their choice of choral pieces and compositions.

St James' Palace said many of the 'stunning' pieces were picked by the bride and groom for their 'theatre'.

Tom Bradby, ITN political editor and William's friend, told ITV's Daybreak that the couple were trying to foget so many people will be watching.

'I think there has been a really concerted attempt to block it out and just concentrate on their marriage,' he said.

'The church is going to be full of many, many people, a lot of whom they've never met, and they just want to think about themselves and what it means to them.'

Mr Bradby, a former royal correspondent, will attend the wedding as a guest.

Mr Bradby said William was determined to protect his fiancee from intrusion into their lives.
'I have really been struck over the last 10 years about how determined he has been to protect,' he said.

'He looked at his mother and what happened to her and it didn't take a genius to draw the lessons that he's obviously drawn from it - which is he doesn't want that sort of chaos in his life.

'He's tried to effectively create this iron wall around his friends and his girlfriend. You kind of worry for them that this is the moment the world gets let in.'

Mr Bradby described the young couple, who met as undergraduates at the University of St Andrews, as 'sophisticated' media operators.

William's father the Prince of Wales and stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall and Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton and sister Pippa will all act as witnesses and sign the historic marriage registers during the ceremony on Friday.

It also emerged that the bride will walk up the aisle to the dramatic sounds of a coronation anthem - the soaring choral masterpiece 'I was glad' by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry from Psalm 122.

It was composed for the crowning of Prince William's great-great-great grandfather Edward VII at Westminster Abbey in 1902, but is also popular at weddings.

As the choir begins to sing, the bride will begin her three and a half minute procession through the Nave and Quire to meet her Prince on her father's arm.

The newlyweds will leave the Abbey to the sounds of the well-known rousing orchestral march Crown Imperial by William Walton, which was also played at Charles and Diana's wedding.

The three hymns - 'Guide me, O thou great Redeemer', 'Love divine, all loves excelling' and Jerusalem which begins 'And did those feet in ancient time' - are all favourites of the couple.

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