25 Of The Best Photos From Kate Middleton And Prince William’s 2011 Royal Wedding
From the dress to the balcony kiss
On April 29, Kate Middleton walked down the aisle to marry Prince William, marking one of the most memorable days in British cultural history.
The wedding, which took place at Westminster Abbey in London, was attended by the likes of Victoria and David Beckham, Elton John, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and Prince Harry’s ex girlfriend Chelsy Davy.
The bride and groom enjoyed a wedding reception at Clarence House, for which Kate changed out of her Alexander McQueen Sarah Burton-designed v-neck, lace dress into a satin strapless gown with a fluffy cashmere cardigan.
From the Buckingham Palace wedding day kiss and wedding dress to the couple’s vintage ‘getaway’ car, here are all the best photos from the 2011 royal wedding:
Prince William and Prince Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey
Ahead of his wedding, Prince William announced that his younger brother Prince Harry was to be his best man. The decision marked a first in royal history.
Instead of best men, those who accompany the royal groom on day are commonly known as 'supporters'.
At the time, The Times reported that William opted for the term as it 'had more relevance to his life than the alternative'.
Harry returned the favour on May 19 2018 at his own wedding to Meghan Markle.
William wore the red uniform of the Irish Guards on the day while his brother chose the Captain of the Household Cavalry uniform.
Royal wedding page boys and bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore dresses designed by Nicki Macfarlane while the page boys dressed in Foot Guards officer-inspired uniforms, in a red fabric to match Prince William's outfit.
It is believed that the bridesmaids' ivy and lily-of-the-valley hair wreaths were inspired by the bride's mother's headdress at her 1981 wedding to Michael.
Kate and Michael Middleton
At 10.50am, Kate and her father were photographed leaving the Goring Hotel in London to make their way to the Abbey.
Meanwhile, Will and Harry had stayed at Clarence House, the official residence of Prince Charles, before leaving in a Bentley State Limousine to go to the wedding.
Victoria and David Beckham
The couple joined the likes of Joss Stone, Rowan Atkinson, Sir Elton John and David Furnish at the wedding.
Victoria was seen walking into the wedding venue with her husband wearing a blue dress and high heels while pregnant with her daughter Harper.
Pippa Middleton helps bridesmaids
Pippa was a hot talking point on the day of the wedding, as a result of her Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton gown and svelte physique (and yes, by that we mean her bottom).
'It is a bit startling to achieve global recognition before the age of 30 on account of your sister, your brother-in-law and your bottom,' the mother-of-one wrote in You magazine a year after the wedding.
Pippa's dress was made of an ivory, satin-based crepe. It had the same buttons and lace trims as the bride's dress.
Kate Middleton's bouquet
Kate's bouquet consisted of lily of the valley, hyacinths, a sprig of myrtle, and Sweet William.
Kate's train measured two metes long – far shorter than Princess Diana's which measured a staggering 25 feet in length.
Her dress also featured 58 gazar and organza covered buttons on the back, fastened by rouleau loops.
Kate Middleton meets Prince William at the altar
Kate took her place beside William after her father Michael lifted her veil. 'You look beautiful,' the groom told his bride.
Watch the moment Kate walked down the aisle here.
Prince William places a ring on Kate Middleton's finger
The prince noticeably struggled to place Kate's wedding ring on her finger. He managed to slip it on after a few seconds, much to the relief of onlookers.
The groom decided not to receive a wedding ring and continues not to wear one to this day.
Similar to Prince William's late mother, Kate decided not to promise to 'obey' her husband in her vows.
Kate Middleton's vows
In her vows, the Duchess of Cambridge promised to 'love, comfort, honour and keep' her husband, but omitted the phrase 'to obey', much like the late Princess Diana did in 1981 during her wedding to Prince Charles.
Meghan Markle similarly chose to say 'to love and to cherish, till death us do part' and not use the words 'to obey'.
The Wedding Hymns
The bride and groom chose three hymns for their wedding service: 'Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer', 'Love Divine All Love Excelling', and 'Jerusalem', which are believed to be among the couple's favourites.
At the beginning of the service, guests were treated to the 'Bridal March' and then 'I Was Glad' by Sir Parry which was a song written for the coronation of King Edward VII and has been used for all coronations since.
Westminster Abbey
The Abbey was decorated with six English Field Maple tress and two Hornbeam trees which measured 20 feet-high. Floral designer Shane Connolly decorated the venue.
Following the ceremony, one clergyman was caught on camera elatedly cartwheeling down the aisle.
Watch the hilarious moment here.
Prince William and Kate Middleton leave Westminster Abbey
The couple were seen walking hand-in-hand out of the Abbey to greet their well-wishes. Kate's sister Pippa Middleton held her train and Prince Harry walked with the four bridesmaids and two pageboys.
Following the wedding, Prince William's full title became the Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus, while Kate became Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.
Kate Middleton and Prince William are spotted by the public
The couple made their first appearance as husband and wife in the doorway of Westminster Abbey.
The day after their wedding, the couple left Buckingham Palace via helicopter to head to their honeymoon, which took place on private island in the Seychelles.
Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice
The sisters prompted fashion criticism on the day as a result of their brightly-coloured dresses and Philip Treacy fascinators.
'There was a horrible article that had been written about Beatrice and she got really upset,' Eugenie told British Vogue after the nuptials.
'We were just about to step out and she had a bit of a wobble and cried. I was looking after her. And then about an hour later, I had a wobble and started crying and Bea was there for me.'
Kate Middleton's dress
Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen designed the dress, which consisted of a delicate lace top overlaying a strapless bodice.
It was fitted with a with a full skirt and had tight-fitting sleeves with a long train.
'Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing,' the Palace revealed in a statement on the day.
'Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work.'
The Queen loaned the bride the Cartier Scroll Tiara which sat above her ivory silk tulle veil, featuring hand-embroidered flowers.
The dress was later put on display in the Ballroom at Buckingham Palace during the annual summer opening, from July 22 to October 3 that year.
Kate Middleton's pristine dress
The makers of the dress had to wash their hands every 30 minutes to keep the dress' lace pristine.
Meanwhile, their needles were renewed every three hours to keep them 'clean and sharp', Guardian lifestyle editor Kate Carter said on the day of the wedding.
Kate Middleton and Prince William leave Westminster Abbey
The couple travelled to Buckingham Palace in the 1902 State Landau carriage which was built for King Edward VII and was intended to be used at his coronation.
The Queen usually uses it to greet foreign heads of state on state visits.
Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana sat in the carraige on their wedding day in 1981, as did the Duke and Duchess of York in 1986.
Kate Middleton and Prince William head to Buckingham Palace
The route to and from Westminster Abbey involved The Mall, Horse Guards Road, Horse Guards Parade, Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Square, and Broad Sanctuary.
Thousands of royal fans lined the mile-and-a-half route to Westminster Abbey on the day.
Kate Middleton and Prince William kiss
Seconds after they stepped out onto the balcony, the crowd below them chanted: 'Kiss! Kiss! Kiss.'
The pair kissed twice to cheers from their fans while a fly-past by the RAF and Battle of Britain memorial flight took place above them.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
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