Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Wills and Kate to brave elements

The couple will brave the elements to wave to the cheering crowds in The Mall after their wedding ceremony from the fairytale 1902 State Landau.

With showers forecast for the wedding day there had been fears an enclosed carriage would be used.

But a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman confirmed this morning the couple would use the State Landau.

The historic carriage was built by Hoopers for King Edward VII's Coronation.

It was also used to transport Prince Charles and Princess Diana back to the palace on their wedding day in June 1981.

The news came despite forecasters again saying showers could dampen the day.

Although temperatures are expected to reach 20C (68F) in the capital today, there is a greater risk of rain as the early afternoon approaches.

William, 28, and his new bride are set to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for their much-anticipated kiss at 1.25pm.

Top forecaster Billy Payne said: "There's a reasonable chance of a few heavy showers around at that time.

"We're expecting temperatures of up to 20 degrees, which is quite pleasant for this time of year. But fairly brisk north-easterly winds should take the edge off."

As wedding guests begin to arrive at Westminster Abbey from 8.15am it is likely to be cloudy, he said.

But this will probably give way to sunny spells from the late morning.

However, there is also a higher chance that rain could fall on Kate, 29, as she steps from her limousine at 11am on her father's arm to enter the Abbey.

The forecaster added: "The later you go into the morning the higher the risk is of showers breaking out.

"Because the sun is quite strong, the showers will be heavy in nature with risk of thunder, particularly during the early afternoon."

Wills and Kate are due to depart the Abbey in the State Landau along a crowd-lined processional route for the 20-minute journey to Buckingham Palace.

A million well-wishers had already gathered in London this morning ready to applaud the couple as they pass by.

The weather looks set to be kinder to other parts of the UK that have featured in the Royal love story.

At St Andrews in Fife, where the couple met as undergraduates, a wedding breakfast party with an expected 1,500 guests is forecast to be bathed in sunshine.

The wedding will be shown on big screens outside the coffee shop at Balmoral Castle, near Ballater, Aberdeenshire.

Showers are predicted for Anglesey ? where a series of celebratory events are scheduled.

William works there as a search and rescue helicopter pilot and that is where the couple will have their first marital home.

Parties in Kate's home village of Bucklebury, Berkshire, could also be hit by the same rain clouds threatening London.


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