Everything you need to know about the big day.
The Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, KG with Miss Catherine Middleton*
The Service
The marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton will take place at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29th April 2011. The Dean of Westminster will conduct the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury will marry Prince William and Miss Middleton, and the Bishop of London will give the address.
Timings
8.00 -10.00am, Main congregation arrive
After 10.00am, Foreign Dignitaries and Royal Families arrive. The British Royal Family are – as protocol always dictates – the last to arrive, just ahead of the Bride.
11.00am, Bride arrives, and the service starts
12.15pm, Service ends and Carriage Processions begin
1.25pm, Balcony appearance
1.30pm, Fly Past
Members of the Wedding Party
Miss Philippa Middleton, Miss Catherine Middleton’s sister, will be her Maid of Honour.
Prince Harry will be Prince William’s Best Man.
The Bridesmaids and Page Boys will be:
The Lady Louise Windsor, aged 7 – daughter of The Earl and Countess of Wessex; first cousin of Prince William.
The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, aged 8 – daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley (née The Hon. Serena Stanhope); second cousin of Prince William.
Miss Grace van Cutsem, aged 3 – daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh van Cutsem (née Rose Astor); goddaughter of Prince William.
Miss Eliza Lopes, aged 3 – daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lopes (née Laura Parker Bowles); granddaughter of The Duchess of Cornwall.
Master William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton, aged 10 – son of Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton (née Susannah Richards); no relation; son of Prince William and Prince Harry’s Private Secretary.
Master Tom Pettifer, aged 8 – son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pettifer (née Alexandra [Tiggy] Legge-Bourke); godson of Prince William.
Receptions
The Queen will give a lunchtime Reception at Buckingham Palace. It will be a private gathering for guests drawn from the congregation who will represent the couple’s official and private lives. During the Reception the couple will appear on the Buckingham Palace Balcony. The Reception is expected to finish mid-afternoon. Guests will be served with canapés at the Reception. In the evening, The Prince of Wales will give a private dinner, followed by dancing, at Buckingham Palace for the couple and their close friends and family. Prince William and Miss Middleton are immensely grateful to both The Queen and The Prince of Wales for hosting these events.
* Details as released by St James’s Palace (11 April 2011)
Friday 29 April 2011 has been declared a Royal Bank Holiday.
