Royal marriage sealed with a kiss

30th April 2011   ·   0 Comments

LATEST: Prince William and Catherine Middleton have completed the fairytale, marrying in an elegant ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

William and Kate shared not one but two kisses on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as the Royal Airforce flew over the London castle to the cheer of the crowds. The Prince’s first kiss was very brief, the second one – when the pair were joined by family on the balcony – was not much longer.

Earlier the pair looked relaxed and happy as they walked down the long aisle following the ceremony. Before they began their journey to Buckingham Palace the newlyweds stopped in front of William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and Kate completed a courtesy, causing the monarch to smile.

They then continued their journey holding hands, with Kate beaming at the 1,900 guests who looked on.

As they left the Abbey the couple paused in the archway, with their bridesmaids and pageboys all standing behind them. They then continued into the front of the building, where they were greeted by crowds of cheering admirers. The Abbey’s bells pealed to mark the occasion.

The happy couple paused for William to put on his military cap and white gloves, before stepping into the waiting open-top, horse-drawn 1902 State Landau carriage. Laughing and smiling, the pair chatted intimately as their first journey as man and wife began. The pair have now arrived at Buckingham Palace.

They waved happily at the crowd, many of who were waving Union Jack flags at the couple.

Following the carriage was a procession of guards in full military regalia on horseback.

Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip were the next to leave the Abbey, also climbing into a waiting carriage. The rest of the royal family followed.

Kate’s transformation from a commoner to a future queen was completed in front of a global audience of an estimated two billion people.

The new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – titles announced by Buckingham Palace on the morning of the ceremony – were declared man and wife at 11.20am (10.20pm, NZ).

By David Heider