Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton"s 2011 wedding
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Catherine Middleton and Prince William first met while studying at St Andrews University in Scotland and became engaged on 16 November 2010, with Clarence House announcing the news that Prince William had proposed with his late mother"s sapphire engagement ring. They wed on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey.
On the morning of the wedding, the bride dressed at London’s regal Goring Hotel. A few minutes before the 11am service, Catherine arrived at the iconic abbey with her father, Michael Middleton, in a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, to the deafening jubilation of the crowd.
The grand unveiling put months of speculation to rest: the bride had chosen a Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding dress and shoes.
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The bride"s ‘something borrowed’ was the Cartier Halo tiara lent to her by Her Majesty the Queen.
Here, Catherine’s sister, Pippa Middleton, holds the train of her gown. Pippa also wore custom Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.
The dress is said to have been inspired by Grace Kelly"s gown. For good luck, Burton included a blue ribbon sewn into the seam of the dress, her "something blue."
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Two billion people around the globe watched as Catherine entered the church with her sister, Pippa Middleton, as maid of honour, to the Introit, a piece of music taken from Prince William’s parents’ 1981 nuptials, a nod to his late mother Princess Diana.
Here, Kate Middleton arrives at the altar. In a break from tradition, Prince William had a best man, his brother, Prince Harry.
Prince William had his back to Kate Middleton as she entered the church, as is customary at royal weddings, and Prince Harry could be seen whispering words of encouragement while the bride made her journey down the aisle. “You are alright; she is here now,” Prince Harry was seen mouthing to his brother. Adding: “Wait till you see her.”
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The bride and groom during their wedding ceremony.
The marriage was presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury and was attended by 1,900 guests, including Victoria and David Beckham, Sir Elton John and Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe.
In their vows, the couple promised to "love, comfort, honour and keep" each other.
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Two choirs, one orchestra and a fanfare ensemble played during the wedding ceremony.
Here, the bridal party prepare to leave the Abbey.
As they left the church, the couple paused briefly to bow and curtsey to the Queen.
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The bells of Westminster Abbey rang as the wedding party exited the church.
On their wedding day, the bride and groom adopted the title of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The couple exit Westminster Abbey. Prince William wore his Colonel of the Irish Guards uniform.
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Catherine’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, gave their daughter a pair of Robinson Pelham-designed earrings based on the family’s coat of arms. The bride’s hair was styled in loose curls by James Pryce of the Richard Ward Salon and, famously, Catherine did her own make-up after receiving tuition from artist Arabella Preston.
The Duke and Duchess rode in the 1902 State Landau Carriage along the processional route to their reception at Buckingham Palace.
The couple wave at crowds during the procession.
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A crowd of 500,000 people took to the streets of London to catch a glimpse of the couple, with many having camped out the night before.
The bride and groom on their way to Buckingham Palace as husband and wife.
A reception was held at Buckingham Palace, where the couple took their first dance to Elton John’s Your Song, performed by British artist Ellie Goulding, and guests dined at circular tables named after the couple’s favourite places.
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Crowds eagerly waited for the bride and groom to appear on the historic terrace of Buckingham Palace.
The newlyweds share a kiss on the balcony of the Palace.
A portrait of the wedding party and family, taken by Hugo Burnand in Buckingham Palace’s throne room. Front row, from left: Grace van Cutsem, Eliza Lopes, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Her Majesty the Queen, the Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Lady Louise Windsor, William Lowther-Pinkerton. Back row, from left: Tom Pettifer, HRH Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Harry of Wales, and Michael, Carole, James and Pippa Middleton.
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After the lunch, the groom took his bride for a drive to Clarence House, where he lived at the time, in a blue Aston Martin belonging to his father, Prince Charles.
Catherine wore a second Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown for the occasion, adding a bolero which she removed for her first dance. The conclusion of the pageantry was marked by fireworks, signalling the start of the couple’s new life together with their freshly minted royal titles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
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