As Prince William and Kate Middleton's D-day draws closer, the countdown to their wedding day on April 29, 2011 begins. Take a peep at the going ons...
Once they are man and wife, Prince William and Kate Middleton will honeymoon at the very private Balmoral Castle, near Ballater in the Scottish Highlands. The 50,000-acre Balmoral estate is a family holding so vast that the couple will hope to relax without worrying about their every movement being tracked by long-lensed paparazzi.
Members of the Lifeguards Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment gather during a rehearsal ahead of the Royal wedding. Colonel Stuart Cowen, the current Silver Stick and Commander Household Cavalry inspected on Thursday the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment's turn out and riding. It was the dress rehearsal for the Major General's Review on April 21, which determines whether the Household Cavalry meets the standard required for all ceremonial duties over the Summer. The inspection took place in Hyde Park, London and involved displays of ceremonial manoeuvres, including those to be used for the wedding.
Members of the Lifeguards Household Cavalry are pictured during preparations for the royal wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton, at Hyde Park Barracks in central London.
State Trumpeters pictured during their rehearsal.
Organist and Master of the Choristers James O'Donnell conducts the Choir of Westminster Abbey, who will sing at the Royal Wedding.
Christopher Warren-Green is the man behind the music. A violinist and conductor, Christopher has played many a time in the presence of royalty, but this time around he will have the world watching.
The 55-year-old will be in charge of the music for the grand royal wedding.
A Chinese factory worker checks replicas of the blue 18-carat sapphire and diamond engagement ring that once belonged to Princess Diana and now to Kate Middleton.
A worker conducts a quality check on a tray of replica rings.
Ceremonial helmets of the Household Cavalry are pictured at the Knightsbridge Barracks in central London. Members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment will escort Prince William and Kate Middleton through London on the day of the Royal Wedding.
According to reports, the UK chain of Papa John has invented a pizza with the portraits of Prince William and Kate Middleton as toppings. The chain worked with a food artist to create the pizza, which includes Kate Middleton's veil made from mushrooms; her dress from cheese; and William's morning suit out of salami and peppers.
A sticker depicting Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton is fixed on the Royal Rickshaw, the latest invention by German bicycle designer Didi Senft, also known as "El Diabolo", on April 14, 2011 in Storkow, eastern Germany. The vehicle, constructed among others from the rear of an eastern German Trabant 601 car (Trabi), is dedicated to Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton.
Check out the cushion commemorating the royal engagement, presented to Prince William by his flying colleagues. What a dream!
Ellen DeGeneres seemed to be riding the royal wave as she tweeted, "So far, I'm still not invited to the Royal Wedding. But if I am, I'm planning on wearing this."
Dame Helen Mirren, who won an Academy Award for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II, said that she tried many ways of wrangling herself an 'in' into the most talked about wedding of the decade.
In a candid interview on The Jimmy Fallon Show, she said, "I wasn't invited. I tried bribing people, I even tried finding a way in over the back of the Abbey," said the 65-year-old.
"I've even tried to get myself an Archbishop of Canterbury outfit because I thought I might kidnap him and do the actual ceremony because I do a lot of these gender-bending roles," said Mirren.
While on the topic of guest lists, this much-talked-about wedding will have a zing of sensationalism or rather 6 sensational elements. It is said that six exes will be attending the royal vows, including Kate's ex-boyfriend Rupert Finch (Inset) and her high school crush Willem Marx.
Prince William will also have a few of his exes in the pews of Westminister Abbey with the presence of Arabella Musgrave, Rose Farquhar, Jecca Craig(R) and Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Galthorpe(L).
Meanwhile, here are the other developments in the countdown to the Royal Wedding.
As Prince William and Kate Middleton's D-day draws closer, the countdown to their wedding on April 29, 2011 begins.
The day has already been declared a public holiday throughout the Kingdom. Take a look at the preparations...
Cake designer Fiona Cairns, who has been commissioned to create a traditional fruit cake for their wedding, holds a tray of decorations for the cake. The cake will be decorated with William and Kate's new cipher and will be lavishly decorated with a floral theme.
Cake Design and Development Head chef Paul Courtney(R) and Product Development Technologist Katie Young pour biscuits into a cake mix as they practice making a biscuit cake at the McVitie's factory in Stockport, north-west England.
William has asked McVities to create one of his favourite sweet treats that will provide an alternative to the official wedding cake by Fiona Cairns.
Cake Design and Development Head Chef Paul Courtney tastes a piece of a trial biscuit cake after making it at the McVitie's factory.
Royal Demi Chef De Partie, Shaun Mason, lays out trays of hand made sweets prepared in the Royal kitchen.
As the world readies itself for one of the most awaited weddings of all-time, Buckingham Palace gets a makeover for the celebrations.The paintings shown in the photo will be used during the wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Here is the White Drawing Room, in the Buckingham Palace, where the reception will take place.
Another room to be used for the reception will be the State Dining Room.
Lending actual horsepower to the Royal wedding, the 1902 State Landau carriage is ready and waiting at the Royal Mews in central London.
William and Kate will travel back to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey in on their wedding day on this carriage.
But with the unpredictable weather, there is a back-up option of a closed chariot, should it rain on the Royal parade.
This is the Glass Coach, built in 1881, which has ferried a long list of royal brides including Princess Diana. Kate, however, is going to church by car.
A Rolls Royce state car will be used by Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, on the wedding day.
But the ride is just one part of this fairytale wedding.
This image obtained April 11, 2011 courtesy of the Royal Canadian Mint shows the reverse side of a 20 Canadian dollar silver collectors' coin to mark the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The coin will cost about $105 Canadian, (US$109; £67), with a sapphire-colored crystal inlay, to symbolize Kate Middleton's engagement ring.
The Australian Post has released two special stamps to commemorate the Royal Wedding. One is a domestic rate (60 cents) and the other the international rate to the United Kingdom ($2.25).
The Kate Middleton 'Princess Catherine' doll has been created to commemorate the Royal Wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton. The toy is a themed fashion doll that has been dressed and accessorised by seven award-winning British designers.
The doll is wearing a blue dress and included in her purple box is a replica of an Eaton clutch bag originally carried by Kate Middleton and decorated with a mock snakeskin effect. The doll retails for GBP 34.95. (Photo Courtesy: AFP)
Lookalikes of Kate Middleton and Prince William arrive at Piccadilly Circus, in central London for the launch of a book entitled Kate & Wills Up The Aisle: A Right Royal Fairy Tale on April 1, 2011.
The book is a photographic book depicting models posing as members of the British Royal Family preparing for the forthcoming Royal Wedding.
Kate Middleton and Prince William lookalikes pose for photographs in central London for the launch of the book.
Lookalikes of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, a royal footman, Prince William and Kate Middleton pose for photographs outside St Paul's Church in Covent Garden.
Kate Middleton, Prince William and Queen Elizabeth II lookalikes pose with photographer Alison Jackson for the launch of her book entitled Kate & Wills Up The Aisle: A Right Royal Fairy Tale.
The Royal lookalikes pose for photographs with the book.
A handout image obtained from the Transport for London press office, shows the design of a limited edition Oyster card to commemorate the wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The Oyster card is a plastic smartcard that you can use for public transport instead of paper tickets.
Around 750,000 Royal Wedding Oyster cards will be available from 21 April 2011 and the £5 deposit and £5 minimum top-up will apply as normal.
A handout image obtained from the Royal Mail on March 29, 2011 shows a special sheet of commemorative stamps to celebrate the royal wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton. The stamps will be made available on all Post Office branches on April 21, 2011, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's birthday.
With a month to go before Prince William and Kate Middleton marry, excitement about Britain's biggest Royal Wedding is building. Castle Rock Brewery in Nottingham have created a specially-brewed beer called Kiss me Kate to mark the occasion.
A combination of two handout images obtained from winning moves UK Ltd on March 31, 2011 shows souvenir 'Top Trumps' cards of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton. Kate Middleton leads the fashion pack ahead of Princess Diana and Victoria Beckham in a card game released recently to commemorate the Royal Wedding. The 'Top Trumps' game features a selection of guests who will attend the April 29 ceremony.
Limited edition of Love Hearts sweets to commemorate the Royal Wedding, by traditional confectionery Swizzels Matlow are shown in the picture.
Founded in 1928, Swizzels Matlow is the UK's largest family-owned independent sugar confectionery business and one of the few confectionery companies to still manufacture sweets in the UK.
A young girl balances a book on her head to practice deportment during the 'Princess Prep' special workshop called 'Regal Rules: An Introduction to Royal Manners & Behaviour' in central London on April 2, 2011.
Another girl drinks tea as she preps herself to be a princess in waiting.
A group of girls balance books on their heads to practice behavior or manners during the 'Princess Prep' special.
A girl bows down to a cardboard cut-out of Prince William and Kate Middleton at the session.
Rich Johnson poses for a photograph with the comic book about Kate Middleton and Prince William that he co-authored, called "Kate and William: A Very Public Love Story".
