London: Crowds gather for royal wedding

Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered in London to take part in festivities as Britain's Prince William marries his girlfriend Kate Middleton. British authorities are deploying thousands of uniformed and undercover members of the security forces to protect the couple's procession route. London: Crowds gather for royal wedding William is second in line to the British throne, after his father, Prince Charles. Members of royal families from around the world, and celebrities are among those who have been officially invited to attend the wedding. The couple married at London's Westminster Abbey in the presence of 1,900 guests who include fellow royals, various luminaries and dignitaries from around the world. Guests started arriving from the early morning for what is certain to be the biggest royal wedding in decades. After the service, the newlyweds will travel in an open-topped carriage to Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth's London residence, where they will appear on the balcony and kiss before the crowd. The ceremony will be broadcast on huge television screens in Trafalgar Square and streamed live on YouTube. Hundreds of thousands of fans are already lining the streets of London to catch a glimpse of the royal couple and the wedding procession. An estimated 600,000 tourists have flocked to the British capital for the big event, many of them from abroad, reflecting enduring fascination with the royal family despite a series of scandals and divorces that have rocked the British monarchy in past decades. British Prime Minister David Cameron has welcomed the global enthusiasm for the wedding. "It is lovely we have people from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, a huge numbers of people here all having a good time," Cameron said. Die-hard fans have been camped out, some of them for days, outside Westminster Abbey. More than 5,000 street parties will be held across Britain to celebrate the wedding, according to tradition. The government has declared a national holiday. William's image as a more outgoing figure than his father, Prince Charles, and Middleton's non-aristocratic background account for much of the couple's popularity. The 29-year-old Middleton is the first "commoner" to marry a prince in close line to the throne in over 350 years. The palace has announced that Queen Elizabeth, William's grandmother, has made her grandson Duke of Cambridge to mark his wedding, meaning his bride will be known as the Duchess of Cambridge on her marriage. Prince William and Kate Middleton (Beta)

London: Crowds gather for royal wedding

William is second in line to the British throne, after his father, Prince Charles.

Members of royal families from around the world, and celebrities are among those who have been officially invited to attend the wedding.

The couple married at London's Westminster Abbey in the presence of 1,900 guests who include fellow royals, various luminaries and dignitaries from around the world.

Guests started arriving from the early morning for what is certain to be the biggest royal wedding in decades.

After the service, the newlyweds will travel in an open-topped carriage to Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth's London residence, where they will appear on the balcony and kiss before the crowd.

The ceremony will be broadcast on huge television screens in Trafalgar Square and streamed live on YouTube.

Hundreds of thousands of fans are already lining the streets of London to catch a glimpse of the royal couple and the wedding procession.

An estimated 600,000 tourists have flocked to the British capital for the big event, many of them from abroad, reflecting enduring fascination with the royal family despite a series of scandals and divorces that have rocked the British monarchy in past decades.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has welcomed the global enthusiasm for the wedding.

"It is lovely we have people from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, a huge numbers of people here all having a good time," Cameron said.

Die-hard fans have been camped out, some of them for days, outside Westminster Abbey.

More than 5,000 street parties will be held across Britain to celebrate the wedding, according to tradition. The government has declared a national holiday.

William's image as a more outgoing figure than his father, Prince Charles, and Middleton's non-aristocratic background account for much of the couple's popularity.

The 29-year-old Middleton is the first "commoner" to marry a prince in close line to the throne in over 350 years.

The palace has announced that Queen Elizabeth, William's grandmother, has made her grandson Duke of Cambridge to mark his wedding, meaning his bride will be known as the Duchess of Cambridge on her marriage.