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Wednesday, 16 May 2012

The Royal Wedding

The marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton will take place at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29 April 2011. The wedding service will begin at 11.00 am.

Taking part in the celebrations

If you would like to be part of the celebrations in central London and catch a glimpse of the royal couple then you can stand somewhere along the wedding procession route. 

The route will include The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and Parliament Square. It is likely that space along the route will fill quickly early on the morning of 29 April. But you can also travel to Hyde Park or Trafalgar Square where you will be able to watch a free, live broadcast of the wedding on giant screens.

Both screen sites will be open from 7.00 am and admission is on a first-come-first-served basis.

Visitors are advised to dress for the weather but to get in the wedding mood and wear a hat.

There will be a range of activities and entertainment, including:

  • hat-making workshops for children
  • live bands
  • photo booths to record the moment with friends and family
  • stalls selling champagne, wedding cake and other refreshments

There will be public toilets on site and full disabled access.

Please plan your journey carefully and check for the latest updates before leaving. On arriving in central London, you will be directed by clear signs and by a team of official stewards, who will be on hand to offer assistance as required.

Accessible viewing for disabled people

Along the Royal Wedding processional route there will be a designated accessible space for disabled people with mobility issues (for example, wheelchair users) at various locations.

Order of events

Timetable of the day

A detailed ceremonial timetable has been released by Clarence House. At 10.15 am, Prince William and Prince Harry will arrive at Westminster Abbey, and the bride will leave her hotel at 10.51 am. The wedding procession leaves Westminster Abbey for Buckingham Palace at 12.15 pm, and the bride and groom will appear on the palace balcony with the Queen and their families at 1.25 pm.

Official Programme

The Official Programme for the wedding is now available for the public online for free.

The programme includes the full Order of Service, a personal message of thanks from Prince William and Miss Middleton, and a photo of the couple taken by photographer Mario Testino at the time of their engagement.  

On the wedding day, 150,000 copies of the programme will be sold for £2 per copy. Profits from the sale will go to benefit The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.

Bank holiday

There will be a special bank holiday for the Royal Wedding on Friday 29 April 2011. The extra bank holiday will also apply to Scotland.

Organising a street party

The government has produced guidance to help communities organise a street party. Your local authority may also be able to provide details of any planned activities in your area.

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