Joy filled the streets of Britain today as HRH the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in a fairytale ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Six-hundred-thousand well-wishers lined the streets of central London to catch a glimpse of the royal couple, who captured the romantic mood of the moment with a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the ceremony.
An estimated worldwide television audience of 750 million watched as the heir to the throne walked down the aisle with Diana, who wore a spectacular ivory dress by Elizabeth & David Emmanuel, complete with a 25 ft-long train.
Scenes of jubilation could be witnessed up and down the country, with street parties held in towns and villages across the UK.
Diana, 20, was only slightly late arriving for the ceremony at 11.20am, making the journey from Clarence House to St Paul’s in the royal Glass Coach with her father, Earl Spencer.
The crowds gasped as Diana emerged from the coach to reveal her wedding dress for the first time, and they watched enthralled as she took the three-and-a-half minute walk down the red carpeted aisle.
Not everything went to plan – Diana said Charles’s names the wrong way round, calling him Philip Charles instead of Charles Philip in her vows; and Charles referred to “thy goods” instead of “my worldly goods” in his.
But such minor details were irrelevant, and the event was hailed as the wedding of the century.
By 13.10pm, the new Prince and Princess of Wales took to the balcony of Buckingham Palace and broke royal protocol to have that kiss – to the delight of their adoring audience.
The public part of the day over, the newlyweds then retreated into the palace for a wedding breakfast with 120 family guests, including the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who no doubt wished Charles and Diana a long and happy future together.
