hello, i'm philippa thomas, live at windsor castle where in a few hours' time, prince harry and meghan markle will marry. millions of people around the world are set to watch the wedding. tens of thousands are expected to line the streets, hoping to get a glimpse of the happy couple. on the eve of their wedding, prince harry said he was feeling "relaxed". meghan markle said she was feeling "wonderful". the couple will marry in st george's chapel at noon local time, before travelling through the town in an open carriage. in her vows, meghan markle will not promise to "obey" her husband. prince harry has chosen to have a wedding ring. this is the scene live at windsor

castle, so many people i hear waiting for the wedding, that last few hours. i'm philippa thomas, live on castle hill, here in windsor, where large numbers of well wishers have spent the night camping on the streets to secure the best possible view for the much—awaited wedding of prince harry and meghan markle. there is also a lot of security here, the thames valley police are out in large numbers, there is ring of steel as it were around windsor castle. as you come through you have two come through security to get this close to the castle. in the last day we had bikinis point that it was meghan's future father—in—law who will walk to the altar. prince

charles said he was pleased to welcome her to the royalfamily in this way. our royal correspondent nicholas witchell looks back now on the final preparations, and how prince harry and his fiancee spent their last day as an engaged couple. the night before his wedding and harry, accompanied by his brother and best man, prince william, emerged from windsor castle to meet the crowds. good wishes were offered and hands were shaken. children in particular were singled out for attention. and then, what's this? a familiar face in the crowd had been spotted. a familiarface indeed, although not quite what it seemed. you would hardly find her in an ice cream parlour on windsor high street! harry and william said their farewells to the crowd — if there were any last—minute nerves, they certainly were not visible. and as the groom and his best man headed for their hotel, so the bride, meghan markle, and her mother,

doria ragland, arrived at theirs. good evening, ms markle. how are you doing tonight? it has been an at times bumpy week for the markle family, with the uncertainties and ultimate withdrawal from the service of meghan's father. but mother and daughter who'd both met the queen for tea seemed relaxed. the absence of mr markle means meghan's mother is the only member of her family who will be at the wedding. as windsor basked in the spring sunshine, the final pieces of the wedding jigsaw fitted into place with the announcement that prince charles would escort meghan markle to the altar. a statement from kensington palace said: this is how it will work. ms markle will enter the chapel through the great west door.

she will walk the first part of the aisle through the nave, accompanied by the ten bridesmaids and pageboys. then at the quire screen on the left of the picture, prince charles willjoin her and escort her through the most historic part of the chapel to where harry will be waiting for his bride. they will stand just there by the chapel‘s high altar. they will exchange their marriage vows and then the archbishop of canterbury will declare them to be husband and wife. there had been speculation that maybe meghan would ask her mother to escort her to the altar, and among the wedding watchers in windsor, there was some disappointment she had not done so. we would like to see her mum walk her down the aisle, or her walk herself down the aisle. if it were me, i would be pleased with charles walking me. you know, it is the father figure, you know what i'm saying? and it means, hey meghan, i love you, you love my son, welcome to the royal family.

i think whatever her mother was comfortable with, if she wanted to, that would have been lovely, but if she prefers not to, i think it is wonderful that prince charles is doing it. so now it is just the finishing touches to be put to plans which have been worked on for months. windsor is preparing for crowds on a possibly unprecedented scale. police have launched one of the biggest security operations mounted by the thames valley force. the military who will be on parade are back in barracks getting ready. these are the household cavalry soldiers who will be escorting the newly married couple on the carriage procession. it is a royal wedding to be celebrated and enjoyed. and with just hours to go, a good many in windsor were settling down for the night, in readiness for harry and meghan's big day. we will have every detail for you

here on bbc news, with the ceremony and the crowds, we have so many of the people who have been waiting through the night for this happy occasion. lukey through the night for this happy occasion. lu key hot through the night for this happy occasion. lukey hot —— lucy hawkins is on the long walk, there must be a lot of excitement now? just arriving here this morning, i was walking through wet grass, thinking, how have people here in due at a freezing cold mice. it is beautiful, it is going to be a lovely day and there was missed rising up the grass and a real sense of camaraderie and excitement. i asked some people as i walked along, what they were looking forward to, and you won't be surprised to hear that their answer is the bride. they can't wait to see harry and meghan in that carriage later. it has been a chilly night here and they are hardy lot, eve ryo ne here and they are hardy lot, everyone has been tucked up in sleeping bags with hot drinks going

around, but there is singing and eve ryo ne around, but there is singing and everyone talking and gathered around us, some people playing cards, so they have found ways to entertain themselves throughout the night. with them all through the night was oui’ with them all through the night was our very own andy moore. we can talk to him now. how is the night in? our very own andy moore. we can talk to him now. how is the night mm has been a very chilly night but it isa has been a very chilly night but it is a gorgeous morning, temperatures we re is a gorgeous morning, temperatures were down to about seven and there are some very hardy people who have been camping out overnight. no tents we re allowed by been camping out overnight. no tents were allowed by the police so it was sleeping out in the open. let's talk to some of them, let's talk these ladies. how was the night, was it cold? it was a cold night, we came here yesterday at around midnight, and it was not as chilly but as the night drew on it got so—called, and when we woke up the grass and most of our covers were damp. it has been a cold mice. have you been to royal events like this before? a cold mice. have you been to royal events like this before ?|j a cold mice. have you been to royal events like this before? i have been to all of them, to diana's funeral

when she died, and i spent the night, and that is what made me come to see them, because i remember that time when he walked behind the cotton, and to see him getting married and being so happy with the lovely meghan, you could not ask for more. i had to come here and witness this day. rosemary, what does it mean to have a woman, are biracial woman in the royalfamily? this is sending a message to a lot of people, to the whole world that love has no barriers. and we are so happy for both of them, they are a lovely couple, and i am a fan of the royal family, and harry is my favourite. i couldn't miss it, i couldn't miss it. what are you looking forward to most of a? i am looking forward to

just having a glimpse and being very near them, and just having a glimpse and being very nearthem, andi just having a glimpse and being very nearthem, and i hope i just having a glimpse and being very near them, and i hope i will be able to ta ke near them, and i hope i will be able to take a selfie with them up (laughs). but it will be just a glimpse, is it worth camping out all night long in this cold just for eclipse? it doesn't matter, so long asi eclipse? it doesn't matter, so long as i will be just a few metres away from them, that will make you happy. and it is historical, isn't it? from them, that will make you happy. and it is historical, isn't it? that have a word over here with laura who has just put on a hat, wary you from? we come from toulouse in france. why have you come all this way? we wanted to be in the heart of the event with the english people, with the sun hopefully, and we hope to see the wedding couple later. with the sun hopefully, and we hope to see the wedding couple latenm our royalfamily to see the wedding couple latenm our royal family that popular in france? yeah. not as much as here of course you are really a fan. you are really a fan. yeah! but all the media and so on, have been talking

about it for a few weeks, so it will be followed lot in france as well. thank you very much. there we are, the people camping overnight here on the people camping overnight here on the long walk where the couple will be coming by in their carriage in about seven hours. back to the castle. thank you very much. we know a little more now about what to expect from the service, we know some of those interesting details like the fa ct those interesting details like the fact that meghan markle will not be promising to "obey" prince harry, let's find out a little more about what to expect from liz brewer, a writer on etiquette and party planning. . protocol matters especially at a royal wedding. there . protocol matters especially at a royalwedding. there is . protocol matters especially at a royal wedding. there is quite a difference between etiquette and protocol. yes, now we have the first time, meghan is walking herself up

the aisle, to be quire, which is where all the seating for the choir starts. from there prince charles will be ex— —— escorting her. not giving her away, he can't give her away, she is not part of his family as yet. but he will be walking with her at the aisle. she will be leading it with all her bridesmaids and pageboys for the first part of that walk. absolutely, independent woman. she will have the little pageboys and bridesmaids, and you just wonder, are they all going to behave, three —year—olds, i think the oldest is about seven. it will be wonderful. it will be interesting, you have a hat, that is very proper. what kind of dress are you hoping to see, are you hoping to see some being self or big and grand? —— svelte. see some being self or big and

grand? -- svelte. i hope she will go big on ground. i think it —— that is what everyone would love to see, a touch of hollywood, that would be really appropriate and lovely, fabulous. and just the atmosphere, as we came through we both struggled up as we came through we both struggled up the hill, there are so many people out there, everybody, you can't say everybody loves a royal wedding, but the people who do feel very strongly and passionately about it. they are so enthusiastic. they are actually now cheering all the police that are coming up. i came up the hill with some people, we all got cheered. they are in a great mood, there is a fantastic atmosphere. they are looking forward to it, and they are in the right frame of mind. i don't want to sour the atmosphere, but ijust will say that they have been some difficult times in this country recently, we have had the divisions over brexit, economic worries, and when it comes to something like a jubilee or

especially a royal wedding the young couple who are obviously very much in love, people feel they really need that. it is what we do need. and every so often these things happen and it defuses whatever goes on. and you get back to a sense of fun reality rather than all this eeriness —— seriousness. we have to have that in order to keep going, it has to feel happy. and with this type of occasion, yes, there are a lot of differences, a lot of i—offs, first time, and i think that is very refreshing. i think we are going into a totally new world now, it is becoming younger, royal family are fantastic, i am a huge admirer of them, but we needed is a more young, fun blood. and that started with william and kate, normal as it were family, working as a family and behaving as a family. and now with meghan, ithink behaving as a family. and now with meghan, i think with her and harry, worldwide, i think this is going to

help us, especially with the commonwealth, i think it will be amazing. i'm sure we will hear more about what connections, liz brewer, thank you forjoining us here on castle hill. this year i wonder there will be people who go to every royal occasion, but lucy, i wonder how much more enthusiasts and —— enthusiasm there is for this young couple. i think there is a fuse -- huge amount, it was meghan has really captured people's hearts and imaginations, she represents so much. we have talked a ready about some of her charitable causes, that she is american, and outspoken feminist, she is divorced, she is an actress. she is biracial, mixed race. there are so many elements to meghan intrigued people and what she presence to the royal family, the fa ct presence to the royal family, the fact that she is marrying into this ancient institution. and harry is so popular, after the queen he is the most popular royal and people are so delighted to see him happy. here on

the long walk, what has been extraordinaire today is the amount of stewards, an army of wardens and stewards coming down the long walk, all morning we have seen wave after wave of emperor and everyone is waking up after their long night and many of them have their phones, their battery chargers out already, so many people want a selfie or the ultimate picture of harry and meghan as they go by. and i have a woman with me he knows exactly what it is like to get the ultimate picture. tell us the story of your famous photo. i went with my daughter to sandringham in norfolk on christmas day, and i stood in the crowd with my daughter and i captured an image of the fab four. it was used on hello magazine, all the newspapers, they didn't use a professional photograph, yeah. they used mine, and it has changed my life. photograph, yeah. they used mine, and it has changed my life. did you know when you press the button, i

have got something special? no, because i was recording a video on facebook for my friends and family, and then! facebook for my friends and family, and then i took one photo. so it was just one photo, and i showed it to my daughter, she put it online and i thought, if she will put it online, i will put it online to my other than followers on twitter. after that, my life has never been the same. you are completely taken aback when the phone started ringing? and i had when the phone started ringing? and ihad an when the phone started ringing? and i had an agent by five o'clock that night. it was just i had an agent by five o'clock that night. it wasjust like a tsunami, and it hasn't stopped. do you even like photography, i'm sure you now. . . will like photography, i'm sure you now... will i use my phone, like photography, i'm sure you now... will! use my phone, i was taking pictures of my dogs, my daughter, i live in a really nice area, just things like that. my daughter is actually the photographer out of the two of us. she is supported by photographer out of the two of us. she is supported byjealous. photographer out of the two of us. she is supported by jealous. you have a t—shirt on today, you are good to go... i have a crown, and flags, my friend is making me do

that. what are you looking forward to? they have got married, i can't wait to see her in her dress, i am really excited. but i think i will get other photos. and what was the sense you got from them that they that you took the photo, they did seem so comfortable and relaxed. they were, and that is a thing. you have depressed and at the end and they were with the crowds, so my picture, —— the press pen. there was i'io picture, —— the press pen. there was no hysteria or anything, that is just how they were and it captured a moment and it was a nice moment, everyone was relaxed, singing carols, and that is what they do. they are nice, they love the people, and that is what is nice about them. and they seemed as well to be very warm and friendly with each other. and the handholding, and everything seemed so warm, doesn't it, that is what i think and i love that, they are normal people. that's what's going to make them great in the future as well. i suppose harriers your favourite? i think he is my

favourite prints. he is lovely, he is so kind as well, so good with the people. i suppose you get that from his mum, they both do. and what you make of the crowd, it has been a cold night but it is starting to build now. it has been cold hence my hair is up, i was absolutely exhausted because we were here late la st exhausted because we were here late last night, went back to the hotel and other foreign early start, because it is going to be packed. we have adrenaline to keep us going. have a wonderful day. i have to say, one of the things karen was saying about that walk prince harry has, last night i was with the crowds when prince harry did his walkabout, i was quite close, it was an amazing sense in the crowd of notjust excitement but of goodwill towards him. they were so thrilled when he and prince william came out and shook hands and said hello to everybody. lucy, thank you. lots of excitement

here in windsor. we have that sense, we know that people are watching all over the world. one perspective here, prince harry's military career holds a special place in his heart and afghanistan is one of the countries where he served in the british army. the bbc‘s secunder kermani joins me now from kabul. well, you join me in camp karga whereas you can see the decorations are already under way. it is a nato base on the outskirts of kabul, home to over 150 british soldiers and officers, as well as others from other coalition countries, including denmark, australia, the us, germany and others. as you say, prince harry did two spells in afghanistan in the past. there is an added bond between some of those who are serving here

now and with him. we are expecting a crowd to gather in this room a little bit later on to watch the celebrations on the screen just over there. they had been hoping to do a kind of street party outside, a street party in the sand, if you will, but the weather has been a bit unpredictable here. as you can see, plenty of bunting going up. we can have a quick chat to captain mill water, who is in charge of the celebrations. lots and lots of bunting and lots of unionjacks. what else is in store for the troops? if the weather holds we will have a sports afternoon followed by afternoon tea while we watched the royal wedding. then a british theme night in our cookhouse. no champagne, i understand? unfortunately not, we can't celebrate like that, we are dry. unfortunately not, we can't celebrate like that, we are drylj am sure you can have a drink when you get home eventually. do you think the troops will be excited? you get home eventually. do you think the troops will be excitemm isa think the troops will be excitemm is a nice change of pace. i think people will be quite excited to come

celebrate. thank you very much, captain. there are in total around 650 british troops in afghanistan at the moment. the vast majority of them are based in bases around kabul, meant touring afghanis forces. —— mentoring. iam sure kabul, meant touring afghanis forces. —— mentoring. i am sure many of them will be watching today's celebrations. but notjust them are excited about it. i was on another base a few days ago speaking to american and danish soldiers, and they all said they were also very excited about today's events. thank you very much. we will tell you a little more about today's events now. with me as sarah campbell, our royal correspondent. i want to begin with the atmospherics. even the music we will hear playing in st george ‘s chapel, it will be different? it will. ithink george ‘s chapel, it will be different? it will. i think all the way along it was known they wanted this wedding to be quite a personal wedding, even though it has to be a

big occasion, it is still to reflect on both harry and meghan. if you look at some of the music, as you say, there is a gospel choir singing. i'm not sure we have ever had that at a royal wedding. they will be singing the benny king classic, stand by me. and there is bishop michael currie, an american preacher, from chicago. there is also some of prince harry's influence. the only reading will be by lady jane fellowes, influence. the only reading will be by ladyjane fellowes, one influence. the only reading will be by lady jane fellowes, one of diana princess of wales' sisters. trying to bring both sides of the family together. and we have heard that prince harry will wear a wedding ring. that was something to be taken for granted, that is personal decision? yeah, william didn't. when that prince harry does wear jewellery, so it isn't a total surprise. one of the first big giveaways that there was a relationship between harry and meghan, they were both photographed wearing the same tiny red bracelet. so it is not surprised that he and

meghan are wearing matching jewellery. thank you, we will hear more from you later in the day, i know. i am going to give you an idea of what is in the papers. just looking at this, this is the daily mail, for example. it says, a magical in modern wedding. let's try to hold that up. it says, meghan's solo feminists walk halfway down the aisle, and why prince charles will be taking her to the altar. there you go, that magical idea. this is the headline of this newspaper, i'm getting "harryed" in the morning. a classic title from the sun. just another headline that we have here, this picture of meghan and her mother as they arrived at the hotel yesterday. that features on so many of the front pages. and this little light of mine, i'm going to let it shine. every now and then, i don't let you can hear this, there is the sound of people cheering. they are even sharing the security guards

down there, the police who are standing in the streets. —— even cheering. now we are going to talk about meghan's wedding dress. joining me is caroline castigliano, a very modern wedding dress designer. what do you hope to see on meghan today? i hope to see her in a really fitted dress with a great big train coming from the side, long at the back, lace, light beading, modern, longsleeved, and i have been predicting, i think she will wear stella mccartney. so, a british designer. that would be a pop the choice. absolutely. she has to wear british. it would be extraordinary if she didn't. that is her nod to the british people, to the family she is marrying into. but i am hoping that in the evening we see herfuse hoping that in the evening we see her fuse that with an american or even a canadian designer. yes, it is about the wedding dress, but we will probably see several outfits through the day? on her, probablyjust a

two. her traditional dress for getting married, and in the evening, i'm not sure we will see the evening dress. of course, the 200 guests... well, it is private? it is com pletely well, it is private? it is completely private. the likelihood is that we may not actually see it. we only saw kate's for a few seconds, as she left clarence house to go to her evening event. everybody had their cameras and their phones confiscated. nobody was allowed to do any broadcasting. how long do you think it will take from the moment we see the dress to the moment when imitations and similar dresses are in the shops?|j moment when imitations and similar dresses are in the shops? i am sure in china they will begin to imitate it this afternoon! so just a few days. yes, they will be at work already. caroline, thank you for coming in and talking to us. we will have so much more for you through the day, and of course all the details of the ceremony. you can see everything here at windsor, here on bbc news. now it is over to the weather. hello there.

we ended the week on a lovely note, thanks to this big area of high pressure which will still be with us during the weekend and for many of us into next week as well. weather watcher photos pouring through of the glorious sunset up and down the uk. you can see how beautiful the skies were to end friday. as we head on into the weekend we are going to see more of the same for many of us, strong sunshine and a bit warmer as well. as we head into the early hours of saturday there will be a bit more cloud across northern and western parts of scotland. more of a breeze here as well. not too bad with temperatures around double figures, i think, for most. further south, particularly in eastern areas, it is going to be another chilly start to saturday, maybe even a touch of grass frost in places and also a bit of mist and fog too. there is a big area of high pressure with us to start the weekend. keeping these weather fronts at bay for now, until we reach sunday. a glorious—looking day for the royal wedding in windsor. a bit of cloud around, temperatures should rise

with plenty of strong sunshine around. it's looking pretty good for the scottish cup final and the fa cup final, with temperatures reaching 19 or 20 celsius. this is the picture for saturday. you can see there is plenty of cloud in the sky to start the day across england, wales and southern scotland. high cloud developing here and there which could make the sunshine hazy at times. across the north—west corner of scotland is where we will see the thickest of the cloud, so temperatures will be 15 or 16 at best. eastern scotland, 20 degrees, england and wales looking at 2! or 22. that area of high pressure shifts further east. it will influence the weather across much of england and wales, but these weather fronts will be allowed to push in across northern ireland and much of scotland. we will see more of a breeze and outbreaks of rain, particularly across north—western scotland. the north—east of scotland shouldn't be too bad, with some sunshine. elsewhere across the country, another fine—looking day, with top temperatures of 22 or maybe 23 degrees, and lots of low cloud across the far south—east, but that should burn up as you go north up the coast. on monday, this weather front

across parts of northern ireland and northern and western scotland will stay put. persistent rain there. elsewhere, a fine day once again. good sunny spells, but a few sharp showers or thunderstorms developing across southern areas later on in the day as temperatures reach highs of 23 or maybe 21l celsius. that weather front will continue to plague much of scotland and northern ireland for the week ahead. high pressure will dominate the scene elsewhere. plenty of warm sunshine but always the threat of heavy showers. this is bbc news, the headlines: the royal wedding enters the final countdown. prince harry and meghan markle will marry at noon local time at st george's chapel in windsor castle. on the eve of his wedding, prince harry thanked crowds of well—wishers. ms markle spent the night with her mother at a nearby country house hotel. more than 100 people have died in a plane crash near hava na's international airport.

three people have survived and are seriously injured. witnesses say the boeing 737 ran into problems shortly after take off, then plunged into agricultural land next to the airport, catching fire on impact. a shooting at a high school in texas has left ten people dead and ten others wounded. the suspect, who is a 17—year—old student at the school in santa fe, has been arrested and charged with murder. he allegedly used a shotgun and a revolver from his father, who legally owned the weapons. up to three quarters of people in parts of the uk who challenged a decision to remove their main disability benefit last year