Royal wedding to be sealed with a balcony kiss - just like Charles and Diana 30 years before

Published on Sunday 10 April 2011 15:48

Prince William and his bride-to-be Kate Middleton are set to seal their marriage with a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, insiders say.

The moment will inevitably be compared with one of the most memorable images in royal history, when his mother Princess Diana leaned over in a swooning wedding day embrace with Prince Charles. With her veil flowing behind her, she was the picture of a blissful young bride.

William and Kate have been modest with their public displays of affection but there will be a clamour for a kiss from the huge crowds waiting for the "balcony moment".

"Prince William and Catherine know the form and have seen the photographs. I doubt well-wishers will be disappointed," a Royal aide was quoted as saying yesterday.

The Duke and Duchess of York also kissed for the crowds at their wedding in 1986.

With anticipation building for the 29 April wedding, fresh details emerged yesterday of guests invited to the ceremony at Westminister Abbey and an earlier wedding breakfast for 650 people at Buckingham Palace.

Celebrity friends invited include David and Victoria Beckham and comedian Rowan Atkinson.

But the list is also said to include four women romantically tied to Prince William in the past, including Arabella Musgrave, who dated the prince before he went to St Andrews University, and Kate's ex-boyfriend Rupert Finch.

Lucia Santa Cruz the first serious girlfriend of Prince Charles, whom he took to Balmoral at the age of 19, is also set to attend.

Meanwhile, a survey released yesterday showed conflicting public opinions in the run-up to the event.

The poll of 2,000 adults showed that 59 per cent of those questioned would like to see Prince William ascend the throne after The Queen, bypassing his father Prince Charles. The remaining 41 per cent said they wanted Charles to become king.

The idea recorded particularly strong support among young women, with nearly 80 per cent of those in the 18-34 category saying they wanted the young newlyweds to become king and queen, in what was dubbed "the fairytale effect" of a swirl of support for the pair ascending the throne.

Ivor Knox, managing director of Panelbase which conducted the survey, said that, more surprisingly, support for Prince Charles remaining first in line to become king was only just above 50 per cent, even among the over-55s.

The survey findings suggest that Prince Charles is slipping behind in the popularity stakes compared to his son.

'OBEY' OR NOT

30% think Miss Middleton should not say the word when she marries Prince William on 29 April.

25% think Miss Middleton should follow the Queen, Princess Margaret and Princess Anne and say she will obey her husband.

75% will be watching the royal wedding from home.

1% said they would travel to London to join the crowds outside Westminster Abbey.

49% of the British public will be watching the celebrations with family.

9% of people will be sharing the experience with friends.

Survey conducted by the satellite TV service Freesat