Three times a Mexican wave of noise swept through the jubilant crowds who had waited to see newlyweds William and Kate taken from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace in a fairytale horse-drawn carriage.
The delighted couple paused briefly on the red-carpeted threshold of the Abbey. William adjusted his white gloves before helping his bride into the magnificent red and gilded 1902 State Landau that would carry them on their first journey as man and wife.
It was the cue for the FIRST explosion of emotion from the well-wishers waiting to see the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The sound of cheers threatened to drown out the peal of the Abbey's bells and reached almost to the other side of St James's Park.
The carriage, built for Edward VII, was drawn by four Windsor greys. Two liveried footman stood at the rear. One was an armed bodyguard - though no one could tell which he was.
The ceremonial breastplates of the Household Cavalry escort glinted as sunshine broke through the grey clouds.
A MILLION well-wishers lined the couple's route round Parliament Square, along Whitehall and Horse Guards Parade and up The Mall to the Palace.
About half of them - enough to fill Wembley Stadium six times over - stood at least ten-deep in The Mall. Some had slept on the pavement for three days to see the future King and Queen.
Excited children hoisted on to parents' shoulders frantically waved their Union Flags as beaming William and Kate passed. Tears filled the eyes of cheering grannies.
Kate, radiant in her wedding gown,treated them to her new Royal wave - described as a neat flick of the wrist with straight fingers.
At one point on the route she told her husband: "It sounds quite nice, with the horses."
William, dashing in his scarlet Irish Guards dress tunic, replied: "Yeah, jolly isn't it. Wave to everyone." He added: "It's quite a picture. So many people! My god, the noise they make, the noises, it's mad."
The carriage - used by Wills' parents Charles and Diana after their 1981 wedding - was followed by two Ascot landaus carrying best man Prince Harry, chief bridesmaid Pippa Middleton and the bridesmaids.
Next came the Scottish State Coach with The Queen and Prince Philip inside.
William and Harry, who was in the dress uniform of his Blues and Royals regiment, saluted as their carriages passed the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
MILLIONS flock to London to celebrate the marriage of William and Kate
Kate also bowed her head to respect the nation's war dead.
But the newlyweds could hardly contain their joy on the rest of their journey as exuberant crowds hurled confetti.
Prince Harry grinned as he skylarked with the excited young bridesmaids and pages in his carriage. Security was tight every inch of the way. Members of the Army, RAF, Royal Marines and police manned the barriers while helicopters hovered overhead.
As the procession reached the end of The Mall the cacophony of shutter clicks from cameramen on the Victoria Monument was drowned out by cheers.
The SECOND tsunami of emotion came after the Royals were all inside the Palace. Police allowed the crowds along The Mall to advance gradually to the Palace.
Cheers swept through the throng as they realised they would get a good view of the Royals' balcony appearance. Fan John Taylor, 66, summed up the mood. Sporting an England flag suit, the Birmingham window cleaner said: "What a perfect day. If it hadn't been a bank holiday I'd have skived the day off work to come.
"I've been here all night waiting for the best spot and it's been worth it. They make a wonderful couple.
"They come across as really happy when you see them up close. It was great to see Prince Harry having fun too."
The THIRD wave of cheering was triggered when the thousands crammed outside the Palace got the moment they were waiting for - William and Kate's kiss.
The only hitch in the couple's perfect day came when a Household Cavalry horse threw its rider and bolted past their carriage.
About 20 troopers were ahead of the newlyweds at Parliament Square when the black charger was spooked by the cheers and flags and reared up. Its rider, of the Blues and Royals, could not keep control.
OFFICER has fun with crowds in the Mall following the Royal wedding
Kelly Littlewood, 24, from Gee Cross, Greater Manchester, said: "Kate looked a little worried. The horse kept on running just in front of their carriage."
The horse was soon caught and taken back to barracks.
m.phillips@the-sun.co.ukAdditional reporting: EMILY NASH, ALEX WEST and DAVID WILLETTS
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