Romance

Kate Middleton traveled to the ceremony at Westminster Abbey by car, but the newly-weds returned to Buckingham Palace in a glass carriage along Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade and The Mall. The Queen hosted a reception at the palace, followed by a private dinner and dancing in the evening. Their marriage was marked with an official public holiday across the United Kingdom.  Large screens in public plazas broadcast the television coverage of the wedding in many capital cities of the British colonies. 

What stands out about this multimillion-pound spectacle (paid for by the royal family and Middleton's millionaire parents) and $32 million security challenge (paid for by British taxpayers), is its unprecedented modernity, unlike any before in royal history. No longer were stuffy royal bureaucrats solely in charge; the couple themselves took a significant control on the wedding plans. " Nick Loughran, a press officer for the prince, explains:  "They have made it quite clear, right from the start, that they would like their wedding day to strike the right balance between intimacy and providing an occasion that can be enjoyed by everyone."

After the wedding, the couple will now be known, officially, as His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge. Prince William, according to a statement released by the press secretary to Queen Elizabeth, will also now have the titles "Earl of Strathearn" and "Baron Carrickfergus."