Royal wedding: Prince William marries Kate Middleton in historic ceremony

Published on Friday 29 April 2011 14:03

PRINCE William and Kate Middleton were pronounced man and wife today as they married in a historic ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

The future king and his bride, who will now one day be queen, pledged their love for one another in the ancient surroundings, watched by billions across the globe.

In an ivory gown with lace applique floral detail designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, Kate walked up the red carpeted aisle a commoner.

But with her new husband at her side and a ring on her finger, the former Miss Middleton became HRH the Duchess of Cambridge - William was made a duke by the Queen this morning.

They have also been given the Scottish titles Earl and Countess of Strathearn which marks where they first met. The couple studied at St Andrews University in Fife which falls into the Strathearn title area along with the Scottish highlands and lowlands.

• An illicit party, a protest and a free breakfast as Scotland marks the royal wedding

• The royal wedding as it happened

• In pictures: Royals arrive at Westminster Abbey

• The Scotsman's Alice Wyllie on Kate Middleton's wedding dress

• In pictures: Thousands flock to London

• In pictures: Politicians, pop stars and footballers attend ceremony

Kate left the abbey a princess, the newest member of the royal family and a future Queen Catherine.

She was dubbed "Waity Katie" for her patience during her long courtship with William as she waited for her prince to pop the question.

Today she finally became a royal wife.

The service was flawless but there was a tiny moment of drama as the prince struggled to place the wedding ring on Kate's finger.

After the couple said their vows, in which the bride did not promise to obey William, the Archbishop of Canterbury declared: "I pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

Cheers erupted down The Mall and across the country as their union was sealed in front of a congregation of 1,900, with an estimated TV audience of two billion watching around the world.

In the presence of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton, William placed Kate's simple gold wedding band on her finger.

Thousands of well-wishers had flocked to the processional route, cheering as Kate made her way to the abbey after leaving the Goring hotel with her father at 10.51am precisely.

The Rolls-Royce arrived at 11am as abbey bells rang out.

When her father took her left hand they began their procession along the red carpet that started outside the ancient building and led inside, with her sister Pippa carrying her train.

The Dean of Westminster greeted the bride and her father and the pair paused as final adjustments were made to the dress before the procession began.

As her young bridesmaids and pageboys assembled behind her in the nave, beneath the impressive 18th century stained glass West Window, Miss Middleton was able to take in the abbey's shimmering Waterford crystal chandeliers and vast gothic arches above her.

On her father's arm, Kate walked up the aisle as a commoner to the sounds of the coronation anthem, Parry's "I Was Glad".

When they arrived at the altar Prince William apparently cracked a joke to his father-in-law, according to a lip-reader, saying: "We're supposed to have just a small family affair."

Moments earlier, William's best man Prince Harry apparently told his brother: "Right she is here now."

As her groom waited, Kate moved along the red carpet, around the south side of the poppy-lined Grave of the Unknown Warrior - the only gravestone in the abbey over which it is not permitted to walk.

In the Victorian gothic wooden stalls lined with red lamps, sat Prime Minister David Cameron and other senior politicians and high commissioners, as well as the two choirs and their schoolboy choristers.

In the south transept stood William's grandparents the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, his father the Prince of Wales and stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall, and other members of the Royal Family.

In the north transept were the Middletons and many of William and Kate's close friends.

William spoke in public for the first time today when he replied "I will" in a clear and strong voice to the Archbishop of Canterbury's question about whether he would "love, comfort, honour and keep" Kate.

His bride spoke more softly when she said "I will" in response to the same question.

After the ceremony crowds cheered as the newly married couple travelled in an open-top carriage to Buckingham Palace, where they disappeared inside for photos.

An hour later they emerged on the balcony and shared their first public kiss as the RAF staged a fly-past.