The final, last-minute preparations are wrapping up in the historic Westminster area of London today, ahead of the long-anticipated wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Kate and her sister Pippa were joined by William's brother Prince Harry Thursday morning, for a last inspection of the vaunted church where the royal couple will exchange vows on Friday.
Standing outside Westminster Abbey, CTV correspondent Jeanne Beker says that finally sets the stage for the big event.
"They did their final rehearsals, so everything really is just set and raring to go," Beker told CTV's Canada AM, explaining that she is barely able to contain her excitement.
"I've been privy to a lot of very fabulous, very glamorous events in my day, but I think this just about takes the cake," she said.
The crowd outside the Abbey, some of whom have been staking out one of the coveted roadside spots for days, let their excitement ring out too, when the royal couple visited the Abbey for a last run-through on Wednesday night.
CTV's Elaine Lui described being on air when William and Kate made their brief public appearance after meeting with the ceremony officiants.
"The crowd out here erupted," she said. "I was on live TV and heard the scream, it was very, very exciting. It was just a rehearsal, so we can imagine how it's going to be on Friday morning."
Organizers filled in a few more of the blanks Thursday, with the release of the official wedding programme that will be given to the approximately 1,900 guests invited to attend the ceremony and available for sale to the crowds gathered outside.
In it, the couple offer thanks to well-wishers.
"We are both so delighted that you are able to join us in celebrating what we hope will be one of the happiest days of our lives," they say.
"The affection shown to us by so many people during our engagement has been incredibly moving, and has touched us both deeply."
And, in another detail sure to pique some interest, the word "obey" is conspicuously absent from Kate's vow to "love, comfort, honor and keep" her new husband.
The couple will exchange their vows between 11 a.m. and 12 noon local time on Friday, but until then they plan to follow the tradition of spending the night before apart.
Prince William and Kate plan to share a kiss at dusk Thursday, before parting ways until the wedding ceremony. Kate will overnight with her mother and sister at the luxurious family-run Goring Hotel, just a stone's throw from the Abbey.
The Prince will spend the night at Clarence House in the company of his brother and best man Prince Harry as well as his father the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.
Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh will spend their evening catching up with British and foerign royals at a private dinner in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hyde Park.
Crowds of Britons and well-wishers from around the world will spend the night in considerably less luxurious surroundings, however, as they line the processional route between the church and Buckingham Palace.
The heavy barricades and fences have already been erected along the flag-draped route, and the speakers and screens where the crowd expected to reach one million spectators can catch all the ceremonial excitement are long since up.
The Queen Victoria Memorial in front of the palace has even been buffed in anticipation of the intense media glare that will be shone on the day's events.
That's meant preparing a vast infrastructure for the world's press too, including the construction of makeshift TV studios, and covered perches for reporters and camera operators.
Other just-released, last-minute details include:
- Kate will walk down the aisle to the sounds of the 1920 anthem setting of "I was glad," and then leave with her new husband to the march "Crown Imperial" by William Walton. Both selections were featured in the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana
- Backtracking on a previous statement that envoys from the countries with which Britain has "normal diplomatic relations" would be welcome at the wedding ceremony, the government said on Thursday that, given the violent repression of protest in Syria, the Syrian ambassador's presence would be "unacceptable"
One of the only details now left to chance is the weather. In their latest predictions, forecasters say conditions will likely be overcast, but the rain should hold off during the four-hour proceedings on Friday morning.
With files from The Associated Press
