Deborah Chan
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Prince and Princess of Wales, took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The couple had been in a relationship since 2003 and got engaged in October 2010. The ceremony was a grand affair, with an estimated one billion people watching worldwide. One of the most pivotal moments of the wedding was when the couple knelt at the altar and exchanged vows, rings, and eternal love.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of wedding | 29 April 2011 |
| Wedding venue | Westminster Abbey, London |
| Bride | Catherine Elizabeth Middleton |
| Groom | Prince William Arthur Philip Louis |
| Bride's father | Michael Middleton |
| Groom's best man | Prince Harry |
| Bride's maid of honour | Pippa Middleton |
| Bride's wedding dress designer | Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen |
| Bride's bouquet | Myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet william and hyacinth |
| Couple's kneeling | The couple knelt at the church's altar to exchange vows |
| Wedding ring | Made from Welsh gold, gifted by Queen Elizabeth II |
| Wedding cost | Estimated to be £23.7 million |
| Number of attendees | About 1,900 guests |
| Number of viewers | Watched by an estimated billion people worldwide |
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What You'll Learn
Prince William and Catherine Middleton's vows
On 29 April 2011, Prince William and Catherine Middleton exchanged vows at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of England's most senior bishop, officiated the wedding.
The Archbishop asked William:
> William Arthur Philip Louis, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
To which William responded:
> I will.
The Archbishop then turned to Catherine and asked:
> Catherine Elizabeth, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony?
Taking William's right hand, Catherine replied:
> I, Catherine Elizabeth, take thee, William Arthur Philip Louis, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.
Following in the footsteps of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, Catherine chose to omit the word "obey" from her vows, replacing it with the words "love, comfort, honour, and keep".
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The Archbishop's blessing
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, conducted the marriage ceremony of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. The Archbishop's blessing of the couple's wedding rings was a pivotal moment in the ceremony.
As the couple knelt at the High Altar, the Archbishop said:
> Bless, O Lord, this ring, and grant that he who gives it and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other, and abide in thy peace and favour, and live together in love until their lives' end.
> With this ring, I thee wed; with my body, I thee honour; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The wedding ceremony was a traditional affair, with the bride's father, Michael Middleton, walking her down the aisle. The groom's brother, Prince Harry, served as best man, while the bride's sister, Pippa Middleton, was the maid of honour. The newlyweds made a traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the ceremony, where they shared a kiss.
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The wedding rings
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has been spotted without her wedding band on a few occasions, such as during her recovery from surgery and when engaging in physical activities. However, she has often been seen wearing eternity bands or other rings alongside her wedding ring. One such ring is a slim white diamond band, believed to be a gift from Prince William, which is speculated to be worth around £1,000. Another is a mixed sapphire and diamond band, which is thought to be the Étincelle de Cartier wedding band, as Catherine is known to be a fan of the brand.
Catherine's engagement ring, a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds and set in 18-karat white gold, was an heirloom from William's late mother, Princess Diana. The ring, valued at £390,000, has become one of Catherine's most iconic pieces of jewellery. However, she has been seen without it on several occasions, choosing to wear other rings instead, including eternity bands that resemble a promise ring given to her by William when they first started dating.
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The wedding ceremony
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The ceremony was attended by the bride's and groom's families, foreign royal families, diplomats, and the couple's chosen guests. It was also watched by an estimated billion people around the world.
The groom, Prince William, and his best man and brother, Prince Harry, were the first to arrive at the church, followed by the mother of the bride, Carole Middleton, and Charles and Camilla. The bride, Catherine, and her father, Michael Middleton, arrived at Westminster Abbey in a Rolls Royce Phantom VI, with Catherine greeting the crowd with a subtle hand wave.
Catherine's father walked her down the aisle to the High Altar, where she was welcomed by her groom, who whispered, "You look beautiful." The couple then knelt at the altar and exchanged vows, with William saying:
> I, William Arthur Philip Louis, take thee, Catherine Elizabeth, to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.
Catherine then repeated the same vows, replacing "William" with "Catherine" and "wife" with "husband".
The Archbishop then blessed the rings, saying:
> Bless, O Lord, this ring, and grant that he who gives it and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other, and abide in thy peace and favour, and live together in love until their life’s end. Amen.
Prince William then placed the ring on Catherine's finger and said:
> With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honour; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The couple then knelt again, and the Archbishop said: "Let us pray."
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The wedding guests
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now known as the Prince and Princess of Wales, was attended by around 1,900 guests. The ceremony, held at Westminster Abbey, was a public holiday in the United Kingdom and featured many traditional ceremonial aspects.
The guest list included the couple's friends and family, as well as members of foreign royal families, diplomats, politicians, and celebrities. William's best man was his brother, Prince Harry, and Catherine's sister, Pippa, was the maid of honour. The bride's mother, Carol Middleton, and brother, James, were also in attendance, seated by the High Altar.
Among the celebrity guests were David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John and his partner, David Furnish, actor Rowan Atkinson, and director Guy Ritchie. The ceremony was also attended by members of the British Royal Household, military officials, and representatives of William's charities.
The wedding attracted much media attention and was compared to the wedding of William's parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, in 1981. Events were held across the Commonwealth to mark the occasion, with over 5,000 street parties in the UK and about a million people lining the route between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.
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Frequently asked questions
29 April 2011.
Westminster Abbey, London.
An estimated 2 billion people tuned in to watch the royal nuptials.
A beautiful lace and ivory wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen.
Following tradition, the couple made an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
