William & Kate debut as wedding dolls

Prince William and his bride Catherine reappeared in their wedding outfits Thursday as miniature dolls of the royal couple hit the shop shelves in London.

William, now also the Duke of Cambridge, is dressed in his scarlet Irish Guards colonel uniform, while the his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, is in her white wedding dress as they were on their April 29 wedding day.

The dolls, made by British firm Arklu, went on sale at Hamleys toy emporium in central London.

The miniature replicas are "instantly recognisable and, some might say, delightfully kitsch," Arklu said. They might be "a touch eccentric, but such quirkiness is also a great British tradition!"

The Catherine doll includes her earrings, tiara, engagement and wedding rings, bridal bouquet, shoes, and "something blue" knickers, which bear the designer's "signature ribbons and attention to detail" in "a sweet and lovely child-like version".

"It looks a lot like her and what she looked like on her wedding day. I think it looks really pretty," said 12-year-old Annie Hardwick. Her younger sister Bella added: "I'd probably put it up on display so I can remember when she got married. There are lots of other ones (dolls) that I like but I think this one is very good."

William has his cap under his right arm and has been given some black and shocking pink socks, while his shoes have a W stamped in them, following reports that William marked his shoes to avoid mixing them up with his brother Prince Harry's.

"These are just the sort of products you'd expect to appear after a big royal wedding," said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine.

The boxed set of both dolls costs #100, $160 or 110 euros, while single Catherine dolls cost #50, $80 or 55 euros. There are no separate William dolls.

A one-pound donation goes to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The couple launched a lifeboat near their home on Anglesey, northwest Wales, in their first official joint engagement. (AFP)

Movie on Will-Kate to shoot in Romania

BUCHAREST: A Romanian film production company says a film on the love story between Prince William and Kate Middleton will be shot in Romania.

MediaPro Studios say the TV film based on the royal love story will be produced by the Motion Picture Corp. of America for the Hallmark television channel.

Linda Yellen will direct "William & Kate: A Royal Love Story." She directed CBS's "The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana" in 1982.

Actor Dan Amboyer, who made his debut in the "Law & Order" series will play Prince William, while British actress Alice St. Clair will portray Middleton. Oscar-nominated Jane Alexander will play Queen Elizabeth II.

Shooting starts this month and the world premiere is expected in August. (AP)

Prince William, Kate Middleton postpone honeymoon

Prince William and Kate Middleton left Buckingham Palace this morning by helicopter, but will stay in the UK.

The couple were thought to be embarking on their honeymoon, but a statement has been released to confirm that they have decided to stay in the UK and holiday at a later date.

It says: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen not to depart for a honeymoon immediately. Instead, after spending the weekend privately in the United Kingdom, The Duke will return to work as a Search and Rescue pilot next week.

"The locations of both their private weekend before The Duke returns to work and their future honeymoon, which will be overseas, will not be disclosed in advance. The couple have asked that their privacy be respected during the coming weekend and during their honeymoon."

Various spots have been tipped to be their honeymoon location, such as Kenya - where William proposed to Kate last year - and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

The couple left the Palace this morning after enjoying their evening wedding reception there last night. It apparently went on until around 3am this morning and included a performance from Ellie Goulding.

Prince William, Kate Middleton leave palace

Prince William and Kate Middleton have made the short drive from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House in an open-topped car.

As his colleagues from the Royal Air Force flew overhead in a helicopter, the prince drove his new bride past the crowds in his father's Aston Martin. There was no police protection officer in the car with them, although a second official vehicle followed close behind.

The car was decorated with heart-shaped balloons and an 'L' plate on the bonnet. They were waved off from the forecourt of the palace by Prince William's uncle Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.

The couple married at Westminster Abbey this morning and appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with members of their families for a kiss earlier this afternoon. Following a lunchtime reception at the palace, the couple will host a private dinner for 300 of their closest friends and family at Clarence House later this evening.

William, Kate appear on Buckingham Palace balcony

LONDON: Joyous crowds cheered and gaped in awe as beaming newly-weds Prince William and Kate Middleton rode through London in a fairytale horse-drawn carriage and kissed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Hundreds of thousands of royal fans from all walks of life and from across the planet descended on London on Friday to witness the most talked about British wedding in years.

Some wore Union Jack dresses and old-fashioned wigs to celebrate the day, others partied feverishly with painted faces and fluttering flags. Many were just happy to witness all the rare pomp and circumstance of a full-blown royal event.

"We wanted to feel the atmosphere -- how the British get excited," said Zhang Ying, a Chinese university student, who declared Middleton was "born to be a queen".

William, in full military regalia, and his new bride, in show-stopping ivory-coloured silk and satin dress, had clearly wowed the hoards of people lining the streets from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace.

"The monarchy is like our Hollywood, the movies, for us," said 48-year-old Californian Diane Weltz who had treated her daughter Samantha to a trip to London for her 21st birthday.

Many well-wishers had spent the night sleeping in the streets around the abbey to make sure they got a prime spot to see William and Middleton emerge as a married couple.

"I managed to catch a few hours' sleep in a doorway, but I don't mind, today is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I had to be here," said Canadian Jay Edmonds.

Draped in a Union Jack flag, with tufts of white hair poking out from under a Union Jack hat, 77-year-old Terry Hut had spent five days establishing his position at the front of the barriers for his fifth royal wedding appearance.

In London's Hyde Park, giant screens beamed footage of the day to a crowd of all ages, creeds and backgrounds.

"It should have been me," shouted nurse Jo Newman, 27,dressed as a bride and clutching a bouquet of plastic roses.

Across Britain, communities were enjoying street parties and a welcome day off to celebrate the most talked about British wedding in decades. Hardcore fans along the streets of Westminster had been getting in the mood since dawn.

William, second-in-line to the throne, and Kate have already said thanks for the outpouring of affection this week, but the pair looked genuinely overcome by the atmosphere as they waved and smiled to fans.

"The pictures on the mugs don't do the couple justice," said 34-year-old Madeleine Senior who flew in from Australia for the big day.

While most of the revellers were happy to flood the couple with good wishes, a few republicans gathered to protest. "My message to the royal couple is good luck and enjoy your married life, but please don't take for granted that one day you will be king or queen," said Graham Smith of the anti-monarchist lobby group Republic. (Reuters)

Prince William and Kate Middleton declared married

LONDON: Prince William, second-in-line to the British throne, and his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton were declared married on Friday at a service in London's Westminster Abbey.

William, 28, and Middleton, 29, exchanged vows before nearly 2,000 guests in the abbey and a television and internet audience of millions.

They were formally declared married by the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the Church of England.(Reuters)

Obamas not invited to William-Kate wedding

London: The official guest list for the British royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was issued on Saturday, and it contained a mix of family and friends, as well as members of European royal families, and a few big name celebrities.

One obvious omission was Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew, who has been largely frozen out of the royal family following a series of gaffes and misdemeanours.

The list is dominated by William and Kate's friends and family, together with European royals, leaders of British Commonwealth countries, and members of "the great and good."

Also on the list are people from the charities with which the royal couple are associated.

"Largely it's a traditional establishment wedding," commented AP royal consultant Jennie Bond.

Elton John and David Beckham, accompanied by their respective partners, top a very small list of celebrities.

Elton John was close to William's late mother Diana. And Beckham worked with William on England's failed bid to stage the 2018 World Cup.

Although William's aunt Sarah Ferguson has been omitted, her daughters Beatrice and Eugenie - as fifth and sixth in line to the throne - will be there.

Foreign leaders, including US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, were not invited, but royal officials have explained that the decision shouldn't be seen as a snub.

Aides say the wedding isn't technically a state occasion, as William is second in line rather than heir to the throne - so there's no protocol requiring key world leaders to be invited.

William has found space for all 27 members of his unit at the air base in Anglesey, Wales, where he works as a helicopter pilot.

One of his workmates is Sergeant Keith Best, who's accompanied the Prince on a number of search-and-rescue missions.

"It was a massive surprise when that nice golden envelope dropped through the letterbox," said Best. Altogether some 1,900 people have been invited to the wedding ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

Prince William 'underwear party' photos surface

Prince William has been pictured dancing in his underwear with a pink feather boa wrapped around his neck, in shots taken from a 2002 party.

The People has published images of the soon-to-be-married royal, who last month revelled in a low-key water-themed stag weekend, racing around in his boxer shorts at a friend's 21st birthday.

The images were allegedly taken in William's second year at the University of St Andrews, when the young Windsor's activities were subject to strict reporting restrictions.

A fellow partygoer said of the Prince: "He was cool about stripping off and really going for it. To think he's the future king of England is just incredible.

"He was having a boogie in his pants and a ­couple of feather boas.It shows how popular he was. Wills wasn't a big boozer - these were just high jinks."

Prince William 'bans beer from royal wedding'

Prince William and Kate Middleton have reportedly banned the consumption of beer at their wedding reception.

Guests will be served champagne and wine after beer was deemed to be unsuitable for such a prestigious occasion, The Mirror reports.

A source said: "There won't be any beer. Let's face it, it isn't really an appropriate drink to be serving in the Queen's presence at such an occasion. It was always their intention to give their guests a sophisticated experience and they have chosen the food and drink with this in mind."

The pair have apparently agreed to stay sober throughout the celebrations in order to savour their special day.

Canapés expected to be served at the event include quail's eggs with celery salt, mini Yorkshire puddings with roast beef and mini sausage rolls.

The royal wedding takes place on Friday April 29 and will be streamed live on YouTube.

Wills, Kate ­'to honeymoon on Great Barrier Reef'

Prince William and Kate ­Middleton are reportedly planning to honeymoon on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

According to the Sunday Mirror, the couple will visit Lizard Island - a national park in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland. The destination is a one-hour flight from Cairns.

Speaking of his honeymoon last month, William hinted that they could visit Australia: "I love scuba diving. I have always wanted to dive the [Great] Barrier Reef," he said. "I will have to come back - maybe we'll have a honeymoon in Cairns?"

Front-of-house manager of the resort Adam Grace said: "The best thing about Lizard Island is its ­location, its diving and its snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. Lizard Island is a great place for ­honeymooners. There are pictures of Prince Charles when he stayed here as a young man, so it's possible he has recommended it."

Kate Hudson, Charlize Theron, Teri Hatcher and Tiger Woods have all holidayed on the island in the past. The royal couple are expected to fly first class on a British Airways flight.

They will take the trip after spending their wedding night in the Belgian Suite in Buckingham Palace.

The royal wedding will take place on Friday.

'William & Kate' film coming to Blinkbox

Hollywood's take on the royal love story between Prince William and Kate Middleton is to be released on video on-demand website Blinkbox.

William & Kate: The Movie will become available to watch on Blinkbox this Saturday, ahead of the couple's big day at Westminster Abbey on April 29.

Directed by Emmy Award-winner Frank Konigsberg, the film follows the couple's love story from when they met at St Andrew's University through their nine-year courtship and Prince William's proposal.

British-born actress Camilla Luddington plays Kate Middleton, but the part of William is taken by New Zealander Nico Evers-Swindell.

The TV movie, which has received a less than glowing reaction from the critics, will also be aired on British television as part of Channel 5's royal wedding coverage.

Yesterday, Tesco announced the acquisition of an 80% stake in VOD provider Blinkbox, as part of the supermarket chain's drive into digital home entertainment.

The Things You Must Know About The Royal Wedding

As wedding fever grasps the country in its blue-blooded grip, many of us are full of questions about the big day. Where's it happening? What time is it? How can I get an invite?!? Rather than have you looking all over the internet or getting on the blower to Clarence House, we thought we'd help out by getting all the facts in one handy place. So, in the run up to the big moment for Prince William and Kate Catherine Middleton, here are the answers to all those frequently asked questions about the royal wedding.

1. When is the royal wedding? It all starts on Friday, April 29, which has kindly been made an extra bank holiday for us plebs. The ceremony itself begins at 11am, but be sure to tune in earlier for the build-up.

2. Where is the royal wedding happening? The service takes place in Westminster Abbey, where all British monarchs have been crowned since 1066. The Gothic church has also hosted many a royal wedding, including those of the then Princess Elizabeth (Liz II) and Philip in 1947, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips in 1973 and Prince Andrew and Fergie in 1986.

3. Where can I watch the royal wedding on TV? Like the World Cup, you can choose! Huw Edwards fronts the coverage on the BBC, Phillip Schofield and Julie Etchingham do the honours over at ITV, and Eamonn Holmes is on at Sky. CNN will be sending over its own crew from the States while NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and the rest are all getting their usual big hitters involved in the coverage. The Wall Street Journal predicts a worldwide audience of two billion!


4. What's happening during the royal wedding ceremony? Joining Di's old engagement ring on Kate's wedding finger will be a new ring made from gold from the Clogau Gold Mine in the Welsh mountains. Like his grandad Phil, Wills will not be given a ring. There'll be toots of accolade from some RAF trumpeters, who have written a new piece called 'Valiant and Brave' for the occasion. More music comes from The London Chamber Orchestra, The Choir of Westminster Abbey and The Chapel Royal Choir. An album of the tunes will be released on all formats (including cassette!) on May 5.

5. Where can I wave my flag at Kate Middleton's car? Clarence House tells us that she'll be driven through The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and Parliament Square on the way to the ceremony. The happy couple will then take a processional route to Buckingham Palace for some partying.

6. What's the royal wedding party going to be like? After the ceremony, friends and family of K&W have been invited to a private lunch reception hosted by Her Majesty. That evening Prince Charles has organised a private dinner (expect plenty of Duchy Originals-branded nibbles) before Philip and the rest do their stuff on the dancefloor into the night.


7. Who's invited to the royal wedding? Not us (and not Simon Cowell nor Cheryl Cole either). 1,900 have been asked to the ceremony, 600 to lunch at the Palace, and 300 for the evening do. All the big British royals and Middleton's family will be there. So will foreign royalty, international politicians and (if they can be squeezed in) some of Kate and Wills's mates. Yes, yes, what about the celebs?! David and Victoria Beckham will of course be in attendance, as will Sir Elton John and David Furnish. Guy Ritchie, Sir Clive Woodward and Rowan Atkinson are all said to be donning a tux and heading along.

8. How much will the royal wedding cost? Estimates vary from £50m-£100m (Even Charles and Camilla's low-key affair in 2005 was £5m). The main cost will be met by the Royals and the Middletons. Us lot will still be shelling out for the security and transport (estimates: £20m-80m), via the taxman. Some have complained about the money lost to the economy from that extra day off, but surely that'll be made back in sales of commemorative plates and tea towels?

9. How can we celebrate the royal wedding at home? Simply bring out the bunting and plonk all your Kate and Wills merchandise on a table in the middle of your street. Don't worry about the "pen pushers and busybodies" in local government, David Cameron says. "Let me put it like this: I am the Prime Minister and I am telling you if you want to have a street party, you go ahead and have one." Yikes! Maybe someone should remind Dave that he's not actually the king.

10. What wedding dress will Kate Middleton wear? Ah, the biggest question of all! At the moment, we don't quite know... the latest rumour is that she'll be donning a fetching number by Sophie Cranston of the Libélula label. Other hot tips for her designer have included Daniella Helayel, Phillipa Lepley, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Bruce Oldfield and Jasper Conran. Oldfield has claimed that Kate will have three dresses made for the whole day - clearly she wants to compete with Anne Hathaway's Oscars gig for the 'Most Outfits For One Event' prize. We don't fancy John Galliano's chances of doing any of them!

Credit : Digital Spy

Prince William, Kate Middleton 'visit Diana grave'

Prince William and Kate Middleton have reportedly made an emotional visit to Princess Diana's final resting place.

The couple, who will marry next Friday, visited the tomb where Diana is buried on a small island within the Northamptonshire grounds of the Althorp Estate yesterday, The Mirror reports.

"It was very important for William to take Kate to visit his mum just before their wedding day," a source told the paper. "Diana is still a huge part of her boys' everyday life and always will be.

"It is tragic that she won't be there to see the wedding, and that she never got to meet his bride."

The insider continued: "But even though Kate never met Diana, she knows what an incredible woman she was and it is very important to her to be able to share and understand William's love and grief for his mum."

Prince William is said to have shown his bride-to-be where he and his brother Prince Harry planted trees on the island as children.

The 28-year-old paid tribute to his mother by giving Kate Diana's diamond and sapphire ring. Speaking after announcing their engagement, he admitted that it was his "way of making sure my mother didn't miss out on today and the excitement".

The couple made the trip as Middleton's parents Michael and Carole enjoyed a 'light lunch' with the Queen at Windsor Castle.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry at 11am in Westminster Abbey next Friday, April 29.

Kate Middleton and Princess Diana - worlds apart

LONDON: From the moment Prince William put his mother's sapphire and diamond ring on Kate Middleton's finger, comparisons between his wife-to-be and the late princess Diana became inevitable.

More than a decade after Diana's death, the "People's Princess" remains adored and the new royal bride will be measured against the young, shy blonde who captivated the world at her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.

The royals are understandably wary of comparisons between the two women, and William himself insisted soon after the engagement that "no one is trying to fill my mother's shoes".

Diana's marriage was a famously unhappy union which broke down amid infidelity on both sides, ending in a bitter divorce and then tragedy, when the princess died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

It is not a tale to comfort a nervous bride, but fortunately, commentators see more differences than similarities between the two women.

Despite her lack of aristocratic blood, Kate will be far better prepared than Diana ever was for royal life when she walks down the aisle of Westminster Abbey on April 29.

"Kate's been very carefully groomed, it's been a long process over a period of time and she's got people around her who understand the modern media.

"She knows exactly what she's getting," said Max Clifford, a top British PR man who has represented many celebrities.

Kate and William have been together for eight years, whereas Diana was courted for just six months. In fact, Kate has been waiting so long for her boyfriend to pop the question that the press dubbed her "Waity Katy".

But Clifford says the length of time puts their relationship on a strong footing, saying "William seems to be totally in love with her and vice versa".

The young couple have had a very modern courtship.

They lived together while at St Andrews University in Scotland, where they met, and in recent months Kate has stayed with William on the island of Anglesey in Wales, where he works as a helicopter search and rescue pilot.

At the age of 29, Kate also has considerable life experience compared to Diana, who was only 20 on her wedding day, 12 years younger than Charles. Just five months separate Kate and William, who is 28.

Diana had left school before finishing her studies and her work experience was limited to a stint at a nursery.

By contrast, Kate graduated with a degree in art history from a top university, although her jobs as an accessories buyer for a clothing brand and then for her family's party goods firm have been criticised as lightweight.

Kate also had a happier and more stable childhood than Diana, whose parents divorced when she was young. Kate is close to her mother Carole and sister Pippa, her maid of honour, and says her family is a major source of support.

Up to now, William's bride has also had a better relationship with the press, which hounded the late princess right up to the moment of her death.

Despite a rocky start following Kate's move to London after graduation, when photographers mobbed her every time she left the house, warning letters from lawyers and the palace have caused the media to back off.

Kate "is an intelligent girl. She has a good head on her shoulders and is so much older than Diana was and she knows William," said royal historian Hugo Vickers.

The royal family "must be delighted. She's cautious. She's very measured -- confidence is not quite the right word, but she is assured," he added.

Diana was beautiful, charismatic and almost universally loved, but she was also unstable and the explosive fallout of her split with Charles cast a pall over the royal family that is only now starting to lift.

She also overshadowed the other royals, staying firmly in the limelight even after the divorce through her charitable causes.

"Diana became far more popular worldwide than the royal family, and in this country -- she was the one everyone wanted to see, wanted to hear, wanted to be around," said Clifford.

The royals "would have learned from that", he said.

Kate has shown no sign of Diana's love of publicity, although only time will tell how far her careful plans survive the pressure of being a fully paid-up member of the royal family. (AFP)

Prince William 'to head World Cup bid'

Prince William has been announced as the head of a new initiative to bring the FIFA World Cup to England in 2018.

The British royal's office revealed on Wednesday that William - as head of the Football Association - will join an all-star group including David Beckham and Prime Minister David Cameron to meet with FIFA officials and convince them of the country's desire to host the event.

Board member Sebastian Coe said that the group must "charm" officials ahead of the December 2 vote in Zurich.

"You have to focus absolutely on the job at hand. [Outside] noises are not what is going to get you across the line. They're not going to stop you getting across the line [either]," he told The AFP.

"It is really a very important discipline in the process of a bid to just simply focus on the messages."

Coe added: "You deliver those messages right to the moment where there is nowhere else to go and you maintain clear heads."

Prince William to Make Kate Middleton his Official Princess

After eight years of being together, Prince Willliam has finally asked the big question to girlfriend Kate Middleton. According to the Clarence House office held by the Prince, the two are officially engaged and are both eager to be husband and wife as they have both decided to tie the knot in just a couple of months. Sources say that the two officially got engaged last month when they were having a vacation in Kenya but just recently admitted their current status.

A statement from a royal representative said that Prince William proposed after getting the permission of the queen and Mr. Middleton, Kate’s father. The wedding will be conducted on London either next spring or summer. Despite of the months to wait, there are already speculations that the coming nuptial will be as grand as Prince William’s parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

After the marriage, the two will reside in North Wales with Prince William continuing to serve the Royal Air Force. The love story of the two started when they met at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland where they both studied. Representatives have high hopes about Middleton saying that they believe she will be a good princess.