William and Catherine Wedding

Catherine's Wedding Dress as she leaves Westminster Abbey with Prince William.
Photo courtesy of It's a Foot.

Catherine's wedding dress first came into view as she left the Goring Hotel with her father, Mike in the Rolls Royce 1. Even then, with only the top half of the dress in view as she journeyed in the car toward Westminster Abbey, it was imediately clear that this was a dress which was perfect for Catherine.  The V-shaped neck with intricate lacework around the shoulders and arms gave a very elegantly stylish first impression, and the amazingly fine veil enabled everyone to see Catherine's joy on her way to her marriage ceremony.

The White House in Washington DC where Prince Charles met President Barack Obama
Photo by ~MVI~.

Following his thought-provoking speech about environmentally sustainable farming at Georgetown University on 4th May 2011, Prince Charles topped off his visit to Washington later that day with an informal chat with President Barack Obama in the White House's Oval offfice.  During a relaxed discussion, Charles praised the work that First Lady, Michelle Obama had done in her campaign against obesity and in favour of healthy eating where she has encouraged large corporations like Wal-Mart to reduce sugars and fats in food.

Dozens of American students came out in the cold rain at Georgetown University to welcome Prince Charles on the second day of his Washington Tour on 4th May 2011. At the University, Prince Charles gave a 40 minute speech about one of his particular passions, environmentally friendly sustainable farming, at The Future of Food Conference.

It's a busy life being a Prince! Just a few days after taking his part as Father of the Groom at William and Catherine's wedding, Prince Charles flew off to the Washington in the USA on a tour where he concentrated on his passions of organic farming and environmental sustainability.

The two day USA tour starting 3rd May 2011 was the first offical engagement by Prince Charles since William and Catherine's Royal wedding, which enthralled not only the UK but millions of Americans too.

Prince William and Catherine on their parade from the wedding ceremony to Buckingham Palace
Photo by Robbie Dale of anonlinegreenworld.

With her father, Michael Middleton proudly at her left side, and her sister Philippa supporting the train as Maid of Honour, Catherine stepped into Westminster Abbey looking gracefully beautiful and radiant.  A brief stop in front of the grave of the Unknown Warrior, gave Philippa the chance to arrange the 2.7 metre train of Catherine's stunning wedding dress behind her.

Meanwhile, William and Harry exited Westminster Abbey's traditional groom's waiting area at Saint Edmund's Chapel and walked to the Abbey's altar, where William looked straight ahead.  His Brother Harry, standing on his right hand side, provided a few words of commentary or reassurance as William waited patiently for his bride to complete her walk up the aisle.

On 30 April 2011, the day after Prince William and Catherine's wedding, hundreds of people queued up to get in to Westminster Abbey to see up close just how the Abbey looked in all its resplendence with the decor and trees that would remain there for a few days after the wedding. Catherine's wedding bouquet rested there on the grave of the Unknown Warrior.

The flight from Spitzbergen was due to carry Prince Harry and the Walking with the Wounded team to a temporary runway at Barneo Ice Field in the Arctic on Friday 1st April 2011.  From, there the team's intrepid 200 mile walk to the North Pole would begin .  Gale force winds at the landing strip meant that the runway wasn't ready in time though, so the flight to Barneo was delayed until Monday 4th April.  Even a Prince has to wait for the Arctic weather to calm down!

During the days in Spitzbergen, Norway, Prince Harry and the Walking with the Wounded team practised arctic essentials like setting up tents to form a camp in the biting arctic weather, ski-ing mountains and racing snow mobiles whilst training for the Arctic expedition, whereby Prince Harry would join the Walking with the Wounded team of injured servicemen at the start of their 200 mile expedition to the North Pole.  Dragging a sled full of equipment behind him and with a rifle slung over his back, Prince Harry and the Walking with the Wounded team were accompained by a husky who could act as a lookout and alarm everyone if any polar bears came in sight,  

Earlier this month, on Friday 8th April 2011, Prince Harry returned from a chilling but thriliing few days in the icy Arctic.

The prince's big arctic adventure started on Tuesday 29th March when he landed at Longyearbyen Airport on Spitsbergen.  Located  between mainland Norway and the North Pole, Spitszbergen is the largest island in Norway and is the Western island of the Svalbard group of islands.

Royal Wedding Route Map
Click to open full sized image in a new window
Based on a map from OpenStreetMap

Important for anyone wanting to follow the special event on TV, and particulary vital for anyone intending to be in London to cheer on the happy couple on the big day, we can now give you a special map of the processional route and times for Catherine's journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, Prince William's journey from St James' Palace and their return together back to Buckingham Palace as husband and wife.