Junior Rasmussen
Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding reception on April 29, 2011, ended with a spectacular fireworks display. The newlyweds sat on the roof of a Fiat car decorated with balloons as fireworks went off behind the palace. The fireworks lasted only two minutes, but they were described as big ones. The fireworks were a surprise for the guests, who were asked to go outside to the lawns behind the palace to witness the display. The fireworks were the perfect ending to a magical wedding celebration, which included a live performance by Ellie Goulding and a Grease-inspired dance routine by the royal couple.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 April 2011 |
| Location | Buckingham Palace |
| Number of guests | 600-650 |
| Entertainment | Ellie Goulding |
| First dance | Elton John's "Your Song" |
| Other songs | "Starry Eyed", "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers, "She Loves You" by The Beatles |
| Fireworks | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
The wedding
After the ceremony, the couple had two wedding receptions. The first reception, hosted by Queen Elizabeth, was a grand affair with 600 to 650 guests. The second reception, hosted by the groom's father, Prince Charles, was a more intimate gathering with 300 close family and friends in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace. This reception was described as "the most magical party imaginable" by one guest.
At the second reception, the newlyweds surprised their guests with a fun interpretation of "You're the One That I Want" from the musical Grease. Ellie Goulding, a close friend of the couple, also performed several songs, including "Your Song" by Elton John, which was the couple's first dance. Other songs performed by Goulding included "Starry Eyed" and a cover of "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers.
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The receptions
On 29 April 2011, Prince William married Kate Middleton in a televised ceremony at Westminster Abbey, London, in front of 1,900 guests. The wedding was one of the most-watched royal weddings of all time, with an estimated one billion viewers worldwide.
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds attended two wedding receptions. The first was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace for 600 guests. The second was a more intimate gathering of 300 guests, hosted by the groom's father, Prince Charles (now King Charles III), in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace.
The evening reception featured a performance by singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, who sang "Your Song" by Elton John for the couple's first dance. Goulding also performed her hit single "Starry Eyed", as well as a cover of "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers. The newlyweds also surprised their guests with a lip-synched performance of "You're the One That I Want" from the musical Grease.
The reception ended with a fireworks display in the palace grounds. Guests were invited outside to the lawns behind the palace, where a Fiat car decorated with balloons drove William and Kate away from the crowd. The fireworks lasted only two minutes, and the party continued until 3 am, leaving the newlyweds as the only guests remaining in the palace.
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The fireworks
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on 29 April 2011 was one of the most watched royal weddings of all time, with an estimated one billion viewers worldwide. The couple's wedding celebrations included two receptions, the first hosted by Queen Elizabeth for 600 to 650 guests, and the second, a more intimate gathering for 300 guests, hosted by the groom's father, Prince Charles (now King Charles III), in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace.
The second reception, which was described by one guest as "the most magical party imaginable", ended with a fireworks display. Guests were invited outside to the fine lawns behind the palace at around 2:30 am, where a surprise awaited them. According to one source, "Catherine wheels had been pinned to the trees, and the 20-second-long burst of red and white sparks could be seen over the palace walls". Another source describes the fireworks as "big ones", but notes that the display lasted only two minutes.
The newlyweds, Prince William and Kate Middleton, watched the fireworks from the roof of a classic Fiat Cinquecento, which had been decorated with balloons. The car was driven by a servant, but it did not leave the palace grounds. The fireworks marked the end of the celebrations, and by 3 am, all the guests had departed, leaving the newlyweds as the only remaining guests at the palace.
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The guests
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was one of the most-watched royal weddings of all time, with an estimated one billion viewers tuning in worldwide. The couple's nuptials took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey, followed by two wedding receptions. The first, hosted by Queen Elizabeth, was attended by 600 to 650 guests. The second, more intimate reception was hosted by the groom's father, Prince Charles (now King Charles), and took place in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace with 300 guests.
The guest list for the ceremony included 1,900 people, with senior royals, A-list celebrities, and close friends of the couple in attendance. Notable guests at the wedding included Elton John, David and Victoria Beckham, and members of foreign royal families. The evening reception, hosted by Prince Charles, included a smaller group of the couple's closest friends and family.
The evening reception began with a speech by Michael Middleton, Kate's father, who recounted the moment he realised William's affection for his daughter. William's friends, Thomas van Straubenzee and James Meade, also gave a humorous speech, sharing an anecdote about a night out. Following the speeches, guests were invited into the throne room for a surprise organised by Prince Harry and Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton. The surprise included a disco-themed setup, with strobe lights, glitter balls, and a giant dance floor replacing the usual throne room decor.
The entertainment for the evening was led by singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, a close friend of the couple. Goulding performed a live rendition of "Your Song" by Elton John for the couple's first dance, followed by her own hits "Starry Eyed" and "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers. Kate's mother, Carole Middleton, also made a musical request, asking the DJ to play "We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off" by Jermaine Stewart.
As the evening came to a close, guests were invited outside for a fireworks display. The fireworks lasted for only about two minutes, but they provided a grand ending to the magical celebration.
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The food
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was a grand affair, with two wedding receptions following the ceremony. The first was hosted by Queen Elizabeth for 600 to 650 guests, and the second was a more intimate gathering of 300 guests hosted by the groom's father, Prince Charles, in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace.
The menu for the first reception, a closely guarded secret for years, was finally revealed when a copy of the menu was sold at auction. It featured a range of seafood dishes, including South Uist salmon, Lyme Bay crab, and Hebridean langoustines, and a fruit cake designed by Fiona Cairns, an eight-tiered masterpiece decorated with Lambeth-piped sugar paste flowers. McVitie's also created a chocolate biscuit groom's cake from a Royal Family recipe, specially requested by Prince William.
For the second reception, the couple's favourite chef, Anton Mosimann, prepared a menu featuring organically sourced Welsh crab and lamb from Highgrove, followed by a trio of miniature trifle, chocolate fondant, and homemade ice cream.
The evening reception was a magical affair, with strobe lights, glitter balls, and a giant dance floor dominating the 120-foot-long room. The dais, where the thrones usually sat, was replaced by a disco booth and a cocktail bar, creating an unforgettable party atmosphere.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there were fireworks at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding reception. The fireworks were set off after the newlyweds drove off in a Fiat decorated with balloons.
The fireworks were red and white.
The fireworks lasted for about two minutes.
