Frequently Asked Questions
When are Prince William and Catherine Middleton getting married?
They are getting married at 11am at Westminster Abbey on 29th April 2011.
How do I attend?
Information on travel and how to attend the wedding is available from the UK Government's DirectGov website.
Will there be road closures and when will they be in place?
Information on road closures can be found on the Metropolitan Police website.
How can I receive regular updates on the wedding?
There are a number of ways of keeping in touch with the latest news and receive lots of interesting videos, pictures, etc. The best way is to visit the Official Royal Wedding website www.officialroyalwedding2011.org which is first with the news and you can also follow us on Twitter @ClarenceHouse (www.twitter.com/ClarenceHouse)
Should I use Kate or Catherine?
Miss Middleton uses both names equally, and she has never expressed a preference for either Catherine or Kate since her engagement to Prince William. Catherine is the name that Miss Middleton grew up with in her family, and Kate is the name that she tends to use in a work context.
Can I give a wedding present to the couple?
Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have set up a charitable gift fund for those who very generously may wish to donate to charity to help the couple celebrate their wedding.
Having been touched by the goodwill shown them since the announcement of their engagement, Prince William and Miss Middleton have asked that anyone who might wish to give them a wedding gift consider giving instead to a charitable fund.
Donations can be made through the website www.royalweddingcharityfund.org which includes a full list of the charities to benefit, personally chosen by Prince William and Miss Middleton.
The Engagement
How/ when did the proposal happen?
The couple became engaged during a private holiday to Kenya [in October 2010].
Was Miss Middleton surprised at the proposal, or had they discussed it for a long time?
Their decision to become engaged was a mutual one, and a natural progression of their relationship. The actual timing of the proposal, however, was a surprise by Prince William.
Why did Prince William choose that particular engagement ring for Miss Middleton?
The engagement ring belonged to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, which she passed to Prince William and Prince Harry. The ring is an oval cluster ring with a sapphire centre and a border of 14 diamonds, mounted in 18ct white gold.
Did Prince William choose the ring himself?
Yes. Prince William very much wanted Miss Middleton to have his mother's engagement ring.
Is there an official engagement photo?
Yes. The official engagement photos were taken by Mario Testino at St. James's Palace.
How will they be known after they are married? Will they have any titles?
Styles and titles are in the gift of The Queen.
Does Catherine get a title straightaway [before marriage]?
No. She remains Miss Catherine Middleton until marriage.
Will Catherine become Princess Catherine?
Technically not - her title after marriage is yet to be announced.
Will Catherine become an HRH?
Yes.
The Wedding Day
Why Westminster Abbey?
The couple were moved to choose the venue because of its beauty, its history and - in spite of its overall size - by the relative intimacy of the area around the High Altar.
What kind of wedding will it be?
The wedding will reflect Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wishes - it will be very much their day. They hope very much that the day can become an enjoyable occasion for the whole country and for the Commonwealth Realms.
Will it be a State occasion?
No. The wedding will not be a formal State occasion since Prince William is neither the Sovereign nor the Heir to the Throne. However, given Prince William's seniority in the Royal Family, some formal and ceremonial elements are to be expected.
Where can I find out timings for the wedding day?
The timings of the wedding day can be found here http://bit.ly/gh58n9
Will there be formal, ceremonial aspects to the wedding?
Given Prince William's senior position in the Royal Family, we can expect some formal, ceremonial elements to the day. But all details are yet to be worked out.
Who has been invited to the wedding?
Around 1,900 people have been invited to the service at Westminster Abbey.
Around 650 people have been invited to the lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace given by The Queen.
Around 300 people have been invited to the dinner at Buckingham Palace given by The Prince of Wales.
A rough breakdown of numbers of guests is as follows (this includes spouses):
- The vast majority of guests are drawn from Prince William and Miss Middleton’s Family and Friends – over 1,000
- Over 50 Members of The Royal Family
- Over 40 Members of Foreign Royal Families
- Over 200 Members of Government, Parliament and Diplomatic Corps
- Approximately 80 guests drawn from Prince William’s charities, including some individuals who are not in senior positions, who The Prince has known for some time
- 60 Governors-General and Realm Prime Ministers
When will we find out information about Miss Middleton's wedding dress?
Miss Middleton would like to keep her wedding dress a surprise for Prince William on their wedding day.
Who will conduct the service?
The service is being conducted by The Dean of Westminster, The Archbishop of Canterbury will marry Prince William and Miss Middleton, and The Bishop of London will give the address.
Where will the reception be held?
The reception will be held at Buckingham Palace.
Are SJP/CH staff requesting people/businesses not to send in any more gifts for the couple?
Prince William and Miss Middleton remain incredibly grateful for all the gifts they have received. However, in accordance with the couple's wishes, they will not be able to accept gifts from commercial enterprises.
Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have set up a Charitable Gift Fund for those who very generously may wish to donate to charity to help the couple celebrate their wedding.
Will the wedding be televised?
Yes. The wedding will be shown by the BBC, ITV and Sky.
In addition to this, For the first time, broadcast footage of a royal wedding will be live streamed on The Royal Channel on YouTube (www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel), accompanied by a live multi-media blog put together by St. James’s Palace.
The Royal Channel will host a live stream 'gadget', produced by Google, which will stream the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton live on the day from 10am until 2pm. This will include the Couple’s journey to and from Westminster Abbey, the Wedding Service, balcony appearance and the fly past.
Which musicians will be playing at the wedding?
Two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams will perform the music at the Wedding Service of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29th. These are:
• The Choir of Westminster Abbey
• The Chapel Royal Choir
• The London Chamber Orchestra
• The Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force
• The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry
Where can I find out more information about the processional route?
A map of the processional route can be found at www.officialroyalwedding2011.org.
The route between Buckingham Palace and the Abbey goes by The Mall, Horse Guards Road, Horse Guards Parade, through Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Square (the south side) and Broad Sanctuary.
How will Prince William and Catherine Middleton travel to Westminster Abbey?
Miss Middleton and Prince William will travel separately to the wedding service using State Cars from the Royal Mews.
Prince William will travel in a Bentley, accompanied by Prince Harry.
Miss Middleton will travel in a Rolls Royce, accompanied by her father.
How will Prince William and Catherine Middleton travel to Buckingham Palace after the wedding service?
Prince William and Miss Middleton will travel in the 1902 State Landau along the Processional Route to Buckingham Palace. In the event of severely wet weather, the couple will travel in The Glass Coach.
What will the wedding cake look like?
The wedding cake will be a multi-tiered traditional fruit cake. The cake, which will be decorated with cream and white icing, will have a strong British floral theme using elements of the Joseph Lambeth technique.
In addition, Prince William and Catherine Middleton have asked McVitie’s Cake Company to create a chocolate biscuit cake for the reception at Buckingham Palace.
Will there be a public holiday?
Yes. The Prime Minister has said: "The wedding of Kate and William will be a happy and momentous occasion. We want to mark the day as one of national celebration, a public holiday will ensure the most people possible will have a chance to celebrate on the day."
Who is paying?
The Royal Family and the Middleton family will pay for the wedding.
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