George Boyle
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton was a grand affair, with the occasion being made a public holiday in the United Kingdom. The event attracted much media attention, with TV programmes and YouTube live streams providing extensive coverage. The ceremony was viewed live by tens of millions worldwide, with about a million people lining the route between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. The couple's YouTube channel, launched in 2021, provides a glimpse into their lives, with the first video racking up over 3 million views. The channel offers a unique perspective on their royal engagements and initiatives, showcasing their lives as members of the royal family.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 April 2011 |
| Location | Westminster Abbey |
| Attendees | Bride and groom's families, members of foreign royal families, diplomats, and the couple's chosen personal guests |
| Music | "Crown Imperial" by William Walton, "Veni Creator Spiritus" and "Farewell to Stromness" by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, works by Bach, Britten, Delius, Elgar, Finzi, Stanford, Vaughan Williams, and Whitlock |
| Bells | Full peal rung by the Abbey's Company of Ringers, lasting three hours |
| Balcony Appearance | The couple made a traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace |
| Viewership | Watched by an estimated billion people worldwide, including 72 million live streams on YouTube |
| Lip Reading | William told Kate, "You look lovely," and "You look beautiful" |
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What You'll Learn
The wedding dress
Catherine's shoes were also from Alexander McQueen and had a lace pattern that matched the dress, with appliqués made by the Royal School of Needlework. Her bouquet, designed by Shane Connolly, was shield-shaped and wired, containing myrtle, lily of the valley, sweet William, ivy, and hyacinth.
The bridesmaids' gowns echoed Catherine's dress and were made with the same fabrics and button detail along the back. They were described as having a "ballerina-length, full, box-pleated skirt" and were hand-finished with English Cluny lace. Their flowers were also designed by Shane Connolly and replicated the flowers in Catherine's bouquet.
The wedding was streamed live online on YouTube via the British Monarchy's official "The Royal Channel". The ceremony was viewed live by tens of millions of people around the world, including 72 million live streams on YouTube.
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Music and entertainment
Music played a significant role in Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding ceremony, which took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey. The music for the service was provided by two choirs, one orchestra, and a fanfare ensemble. The abbey's sub-organist, Robert Quinney, played the organ, while the London Chamber Orchestra was conducted by its music director and principal conductor, Christopher Warren-Green.
The choir sang "I Was Glad", an anthem by Sir Hubert Parry, composed for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, as Catherine made her procession through the nave and choir on her father's arm to meet Prince William. The formal service included congregational singing of well-known hymns, fanfares, anthems, and orchestral music.
One notable musical moment was the performance of "Valiant and Brave", composed by Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs, the leader of the fanfare ensemble. This piece was played as the royal couple signed the wedding registers. The music led into the recessional, "Crown Imperial", an orchestral march by William Walton, which was also performed at Charles and Diana's wedding.
Following the public wedding ceremony, the couple hosted two private receptions. Pop star Ellie Goulding provided musical entertainment, serenading the newlyweds with a cover of Elton John's "Our Song". At their Buckingham Palace reception, William and Kate even lip-synced to "You're the One That I Want" from the musical Grease, according to Robert Jobson's book, "Catherine, the Princess of Wales".
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Wedding route and transport
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey. The ceremony started at 11:00 BST, with the bride arriving at the abbey by car—a 1978 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI—instead of the traditional horse-drawn carriage used by royal brides. Catherine chose to arrive by car for a slightly lower-key arrival before she became a member of the Royal Family.
The route to Westminster Abbey included The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, and Whitehall. The couple returned along the same route by carriage after the ceremony. The newlyweds rode in a 109-year-old State Landau carriage, the same one used by Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, on their wedding days.
The wedding day was marked by a public holiday across the UK, with about a million people lining the route between Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. The ceremony was viewed live by tens of millions around the world, including 72 million live streams on YouTube.
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TV coverage
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011 was a grand affair, with extensive media coverage. The ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey, a traditional venue for royal weddings, dating back to the marriage of Henry I and Princess Matilda of Scotland in 1100. The event was televised and live-streamed to a global audience, with an estimated billion viewers worldwide.
In the United Kingdom, television audiences peaked at 26.3 million viewers, with 36.7 million watching at least part of the coverage. The ceremony was also live-streamed on YouTube via the British Monarchy's official "The Royal Channel", attracting 72 million views. The event was marked by celebrations across the Commonwealth, with organisations and hotels hosting events in Canada and over 5,000 street parties in the UK.
Prior to the wedding, several TV programmes in the UK offered insights into the couple's relationship and backgrounds, including "When Kate Met William" and Channel 4's "Meet the Middletons". The wedding ceremony itself was a grand affair, with the bride and groom's families, foreign royalty, diplomats, and the couple's personal guests in attendance. The music played a significant role, with a full peal of the Abbey's bells and a recessional to "Crown Imperial" by William Walton.
The newlyweds made a traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where they were now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The wedding day generated much interest, with lip-readers analysing the couple's interactions and providing insights into their conversations during the ceremony. The event was a significant occasion for Westminster Abbey, with the bells rung by a team of ten bell ringers, including one who had celebrated William's birth 28 years prior.
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The bridesmaids' outfits
Kate Middleton had four bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince William in 2011. The bridesmaids were children, including Lady Louise Windsor, Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Grace van Cutsem, and Eliza Lopes. They wore custom white satin gazar dresses with pale gold sashes, designed by Nicki MacFarlane. The young bridesmaids' flowers were designed and made by Shane Connolly. The bridesmaids carried mini replicas of the bride's bouquet, which included myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William, ivy, and hyacinth. The bridesmaids also wore head wreaths made of lily-of-the-valley flowers and ivy, which was a tribute to Kate's mother, Carole, who wore a similar wreath on her wedding day.
Pippa Middleton, the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, served as maid of honour to the bride. She wore a dress designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen. It was made of heavy ivory satin-based crepe, with a cowl front, and featured the same button detail and lace trims as the bride's dress.
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Frequently asked questions
Prince William and Kate Middleton got married on the 29th of April, 2011.
The full wedding ceremony was live-streamed on YouTube and can be found on the official YouTube channel of the Royal Family.
The wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton attracted much media attention, with tens of millions of people viewing it live across the world. Events were held across the Commonwealth to mark the wedding, including over 5,000 street parties in the United Kingdom.
