>> video games, come on. >> jimmy: i know you're big a gamer. >> you know that. >> jimmy: yeah, yeah. i do. >> yeah. >> jimmy: "gears of war 3" is coming out, and you're -- you're a big voice in this? >> yeah. good morning. your cordially invited to the wedding of the century. equal parts fairy tale, pageant, and love story. billions around the world are watching. security is tight. anticipation is high. and london is decked out in its best bunting for the royal wedding of prince william and catherine middleton, today, april 29, to 11.

and good morning, everyone. welcome to a special edition of "today" at the royal wedding. it's 9:00 in the morning here in london, where we're live, coast to coast back home. it's 4:00 in the morning on the east coast. it's 1:00 in the morning for you early risers out west. we're outside buckingham palace. you've been waiting for a long time. since november. congratulations. >> finally. finally here. two hours to go before the wedding. the folks are gathering. let's look at them if we can. they're decked out in the finery. royal protocol says, don't be late. they won't be. those are members of the general

congregation. the special guests will arrive later. >> we speculated that by the day the wedding arrived, the weather would not be good. about a 50% chance of rain. it's revise. it's about 30%. it's a little cooler than we would like but it's not a problem. >> the royal couple is not anticipating a problem. they've decided to travel back to the palace in an open-top carriage after the ceremony. the open-top landau. >> they said unless there is a monsoon, they don't mind getting a little wet. the queen and prince philip will come back to the palace in a closed coach. they want it to be about william and catherine. they don't want to steal the

thunder from the royal couple. >> william's parents and kate's parents are traveling in a closed carriage. sx just this morning, the queen conferred titles on william and catherine. after the wedding is over, he'll be the duke of cambridge, the earl of strathearn and the baron of carrickfergus. >> her business card will be huge. one other thing to talk about, more speculation this morning about who will or has actually designed the gown. a picture in the paper spurred curiosity. >> a woman spotted sneaking into the goring hotel wearing an oversized fur hood. she's believed to be sarah

burton of alexander mcqueen. i said all along i thought she would wear mcqueen's stuff. zblets take a live look at westminster abbey. a short distance from where we are. they'll tie the knot there 11:00 a.m. british standard time. that's 6:00 a.m. eastern time. >> you're looking at chelsy davy in the green. >> the long-time on and off again girlfriend of prince harry. >> i think they may be on today at least. >> the room looks great. no church in the world has a closer association with royalty. 13 kings and 17 queens are buried there. today, the site of a great celebration. >> we have had royal sightings.

last night, prince william surprised thousands of well wishers. he shook hands, chatted up folks, posed for pictures. his brother, harry, was with him, too. earlier today, kate was seen waving to people outside the hotel. i imagine at this point, her hair stylist is pinning up her hair or places a tiara on it. we're not sure. the nails will be done. the makeup applied. she's got to be very excited. >> you're watching the people in the abbey. they're taking their seats two hours before the day starts. at 5:10 a.m. eastern time, princes william and harry will leave clarence house.

>> at 5:40, queen elizabeth and her husband will depart buckingham palace. the of the day, is 1 minutes later, will leave the hotel with her father. at 6:00 a.m. eastern, 11:00 here in brin, t in britain will start. >> people will cheer and wave from along the route. past some of the famous land marks from the palace where we are to westminster abbey, where the ceremony will take place and then back. let's go to westminster abbey right how to. the venue for 15 royal weddings before today. ann curry is on the scene. good morning. >> good morning. i'm standing by with my binoculars. the queen will arrive in a closed carriage so as not to

distract if the couple's big day. the first guests have begun arriving. about 30 minutes ago. described as nonvip guests. they'll have to wait for some two hours before the wedding will begin. the vip guests will arrive late person they include foreign royalty, government representatives, and the middleton family. among the other guests, david and victoria beckham. elton john, guy ritchie, joss stone, ian thorpe. a lot of the guests arriving in their hats, their finery, as is expected in britain. awaiting outside, a boisterous, almost giddy crowd here since dawn. they've been breaking into cheers all morning. cheering even when the barricade crew was passing by. the tents are gone. there are hundreds of people in

their place. we found an 81-year-old woman who slept out overnight. another person who had been here since sunday, that is now five days. we found a lot of americans camped out here from seattle, michigan, san francisco, oregon, indiana, maryland, connecticut, and why? one said, she's happy to see diana's son so happy. another said this wedding is a good distraction right now, even comforting. back to you, matt and meredith. >> you mentioned the crowd there applauded for the barricade seam. we have some of the guests making their way behind us here. every once in awhile, you'll see a car with a police escort. >> a bus. >> a bus. and the street sweeper got applause. >> they're anticipating 800,000 people alone to be here for the kiss later on. >> the procession will pass the

queen victoria memorial. and james park. al roker is at the australia gate. good morning, al. what have you spotted? >> well, so far, we have seen a lot of -- there are a fair number of americans here. they've been waving and having a good time. the weather is raw. it's about 48, 49 degrees. we have a northeasterly wind. it looks like the weather will hold off. cloudy skies with maybe a few breaks. after the wedding, around 12:00, 1:00, we expect more shower we conditions to begin. in the meantime, the forecast has not dampened the spirits of the folks waiting by that balcony. around 8:30 east coast time, william and kate will share that kiss that everybody is waiting for.

just as his mother and his dad did 30 years ago on that very same balcony. that's a very, very exciting time. everybody waiting for that. of course, here, as the folks are ready and waiting and all hanging out. don't seem to mind the weather at all. everybody has the warm spirit inside of them. meredith, matt, back to you. >> all right, al, thank you. >> we want to mention that the goring hotel is where kate and some of her family members spent the night last night. it's close to where al is we are. a canopy has been erected to gets a e that no one glimpse of the wedding gown as kate gets into the rolls-royce. michelle kosinski is outside the hotel. michelle, what are you seeing there? >> good morning, matt and meredith. a lot of excitement out here this morning. that is the rolls-royce that will carry kate and her father

to the wedding. it's right outside the hotel. it just drove up about a minute ago. causing more of a buzz in the crowd gathered on either side of the street that's been closed off before police for two days. she's in the hotel, so are the pageboys and the bridesmaids. as they were arriving, three bus loads of guests to the wedding left this area for westminster abbey. they're said to be relatives and friends of kate middleton's family. we saw them exit the hotel and while they were in the bus. as they drove past, they were waving and looked so excited. almost like they were going to a sporting event. they looked so excited. decked out. dressed to the nines. lots of beautiful hats and feathers and pastel colors everywhere. this area, everyone is talking

about catherine inside. what is she thinking, what is she going through? what kinds of preparations are under way as we speak? she spent the night here with her immediate family. some guests spent the night, too. we're expecting it to be awhile before the brids maids and pageboys leave. there are several dozen people here. some of them trying to catch cabs all dressed up. early morning chaos here on the way to the abby. >> we're looking at a -- we had an image. another image of the scotch guard. part of the ceremony you'll see unfolding. >> we'll see a lot of bands. >> they're coming around here where we are here. trafalgar square, the emotional

heart of london. this morning, it's all about celebrating. thousands have gathered to watch the wedding on a giant screen. including natalie morales. good morning, natalie. >> good morning, matt. you're right. it's a party for the people. a wedding for the people. they have shown up in masses. right outside the steps of the national gallery, a lot of people staked claim to good real estate here. they're watching the screens right there. the jumbotron set up. they're watching the procession. everything you're seeing they're seeing. you can see everybody is dressed for the occasion. this gentleman here, handsome in his top hat and morning tails. ladies wearing their hats. i'm partaking in the tradition. they want everyone to feel like they're a wedding guest for the day. that's what people are doing. taking part in the great

celebration. they're expecting 20,000 people to show up here today at the square. activities aplenty. making hats here. there's going to be wedding cake served. champagne, and the traditional pims. it wouldn't be a party here without it. it's a great day. the weather is turns out. fingers crossed -- to be pretty good. all making for a perfect day. it's a national holiday. a day off. a perfect party for the people here, matt and meredith. >> you look great, natalie, actually in that hat. >> nice hat. >> thank you. >> we're going to turn to peter alexander out with more of the masses on the streets of london. how is it going where you are, peter? >> good to see you. we have the perfect position. we'll see the procession on the mall.

the best view in the house up here on the duke of york steps. an international crowd. texas, colorado, tennessee, many americans. they're close to home. a group of canadians. how long is this -- a bunch of nurses and a waitress that serves the drinks to the group. how long has the plan been in the works? >> problem since january of this year. >> why does this day mean so much? >> we love it. we want to just embrace this beautiful day and this is a new generation. >> by a show of hands, any single ladies in the bunch? prince harry is still available. >> we know it. >> we're looking for him. hoping it is our chance to meet him. >> it's going to get cold and rainy. you're going to work the dresses and try to squeeze up to the

front? >> weave been up since 5:00 a.m. trying to get ready. >> the jackets are hidden off camera. it's a little bit chilly. wolf pack, thank you so much. have a great day. good luck to meet your prince. we have a great position. we're going to see them leave, come back in. matt and meredith, we'll be with you throughout the course of the morning. >> thank you very much, peter. >> just to give you a lay of the land, we're in a booth at the palace. we have one monitor that shows us what you're watching. one that is giving us a shot at the abbey. every once in awhile, we'll see a face pop up. tom bradley was just seen. ann is at westminster abbey. we're expecting more celebrities to arrive any minute.

>> in about ha minutes, the vip guests will arrive. we're seeing an increase in security. a helicopter overhead. and on some of the nearby buildings, on the turrets, a lot of policemen. we have seen armed officers as they get ready to make preparations and find their places before the big event. i don't know if you can see, you probably can't. the guests are arriving on the side brans. and there is a long line of them. actually, the bus just came by a few moments ago, carrying more fw guests and the whole crowd just cheered. some of these people have been here for days. >> ann, let us interrupt. we're seeing a shot of david and victoria beckham about to enter the abby.

can you lay eyes on them? >> i cannot. maybe if i grab my binoculars i can actually see them. i see the long line of them. he looked very handsome, i must say. i can't pick him out from where i am. but they're arriving on a side entrance and coming right in. it's unfortunate that the crowd can't see them. we're not able to get close enough. but they're shouting. trying to shout out to them now. you can hear, a cheer coming up. >> all right, ann, thank you very much. we just got the official program of the royal wedding just delivered to our desk. on the front is william's coat of arms. on the back is catherine's new coat of arms, including the oak, typical in her community.

>> the great picture, the black and white photo. >> see that. that's a modern couple. a beautiful photo that was taken. we have a lot more coming up. much more on the wedding. at kate middleton goes from wealthy commoner to royal princess in just a few short hours. much more from london after this. live. [ tab pops ] ♪ whatever lola wants ♪ ♪ lola gets ♪ and, little man, little lola wants you ♪ [ cellphone dings ] [ cellphones ringing ] [ women screaming ] ♪ make up your mind to have one diet pepsi, please. ♪ no regrets ahh. ♪ what's going on over there? ♪

welcome back to london. kate middleton is about to

become the bride of the man who will some day be king, prince william. a lot going on all over the city today. much of the action about to get under way at westminster abbey. san outside of the abbey. she's got a great view. >> you might not be able to hear it. there is music playing. it was played when elizabeth was crowned the queen, at her coronation. people are filled with anticipation. we're seeing lot of crowds moving. buses coming in. people are moving into place. and over right behind me, there are some of the members of the people who will officiate. one of them held the program up to the crowd to cheers. we had a sweet moment. someone released a heart-shaped

balloon. as it moved up the cathedral, it was a sweet, romantic sight. the people are excited. there are a lot of cameras all lined up. the press is in -- well in attendance. we're waiting to see. people are still arriving on one side of the church. back to you. >> all right, ann, thank you very much. >> al roker is at the australia gate across the circle from us. he's watching the comings and goings from the castle. >> we have a band coming through. folks are really, bands come through, they ring a bell just before the band makes its way into the circle. and people start cheering. it's really exciting. folks are waving flags. a lot of these folks have been here almost 24 hours. just to take part in this. to say they're part of a little

bit of history. it's exciting, i must admit, to see the folks. there's the beckham's. david and victoria, making their way into the abbey. i have to tell you, earlier today, just to get here from -- to get to our vantage point, it took a good half hour to get through the crowd. everybody very poll lite. very accommodatinaccommodating. a great spirit here. it's fun to watch. i have to admit. you watch the pomp and circumstance. our thoughts and prayers are with our friends down south who survived the horrible or the they does. 300 people killed. this brings a little bit of a respite to something that was so somber and tragic there. to watch what's going on here.

matt, meredith, back to you. >> thanks, al. >> we share your thoughts. we'll talk more about that later on. meanwhile, some of the bands marching. i believe that is over at the royal horse guard. or h horse guard parade. that parade, that plot of land there you're seeing, when the olympics take place, that will be the site of the volley ball competition. all right. let us, if we can, introduce some of the people that you're going to be hearing an awful lot if throughout the morning. throughout this wedding. andrew roberts, a british historian and an nbc contributor and camilla hominy of the press. >> nice to have you here. >> we're hearing about the

titles conferred on the couple. the duke and duchess of cambridge. the earl of strathearn. >> the queen does give titles of the day and wedding days very often. cambridge in particular. william doesn't have that many connections to cambridge. his father and uncle went there. his grand father is chancellor of cambridge. >> the second duke of cambridge, prince george was a prestigious army officer who claimed that arranged marriages were doomed to failure. was the queen keenly aware of that? >> he was the keefe for nearly 50 years. a splendid man. i don't know if the queen knew that. it's lovely that we think back

to those days. reportedly prince edward was going to be named the earl of cambridge until he saw shakespeare in love and saw a different title. >> it would have been nice for him to be called the duke of clarence. but that's got a terrible association? >> there are scandals associated to the last duke of clarence. who died under mysterious circumstances. >> thanks, andrew. way to get the day off to a roaring start. >> downer. >> sit tight. we'll talk to you an awful lot throughout the morning. >> in about an hour and half, the answer of what will kate's dress look like will be

answered. we'll talk about that and a lot more after this. [ boy ] there's something inside your mcdonald's happy meal. where? it's really good. do you see it? it's called hope. hope? yeah, hope. i don't see any hope. i don't see any hope in here. you can't see it there, but you can see it here.

'cause every time you get a happy meal or a mighty kids meal some of the money goes to ronald mcdonald house charities to help lots of kids and families. hope's good! happy meals. the simple joy of helping. ♪

we're back with you now from london. the royal wedding day. some of the people you'll see are familiar faces, including that man at the center of the screen. that is charles spencer, the brother of princess diana, the uncle of the groom. making his way into westminster abbey.

>> and his sister, other members of the spencer family will be there in the abbey. >> is that rowan atkinson? mr. bean? he just knocked over one of the trees in the center aisle. >> apparently a very good friend of prince william. one of many vips or celebrities here today. let's go to michelle kosinski. she's outside the goring hotel. michelle? >> good morning. yes, she is in the hotel. where she spent the night with her immediate family. the century-old, five-star, family-owned hotel, not far from westminster abbey. she plans to leave the hotel nine minutes before the ceremony starts. there has been a loft activity. i think the centerpiece is the rolls-royce. marooned, sitting outside the hotel. reminding everybody that the

time is drawing near. that car will carry katherine and her father to the ceremony once everyone else has gone in separate transportation. think next we'll see the page boys and bridesmaids leaving. a few of them waved to the crowd when they arrived. they are so young. the people have gathered. they're talking about the canopy that is set up since yesterday outside the doorway. it's become more elaborate. it's two canopies stuck together. no one is sure if we'll see a toe of kate middleton's shoes step outside of that. in reality, it does look like there may be a foot or so of space to step beyond that into the car. on everyone's mind, what is on catherine's whind as she

prepares for one of the biggest days of her life. >> michelle, thank you very much. s the all about the dress. let's bring in royal fashion exhibiter, gabrielle hackworthy. and amanda wakely. earlier, kate wore one of her suits on a trip with prince william. we have the picture of the woman sneaking into the goring hotel under a furry hood. people believe it is sarah burton. what do you know? >> we think it is. it would be great if it is a mcqueen dress. >> it would be a brilliant moment for british fashion. it would be a bold choice for kate middleton. it would show us what kind of princess she will be. and the first time for her to express who she is. >> there would be no other reason for sara burt on the be there unless she were the

designer? >> unlikely. >> what do you think the dress will look like. you know sarah burton as a designer. >> i think it will have a combination of strength and fragility. that's what sarah burton and mcqueen are known for. it will be a wonderful silhouette. there will have to be a grandeur about it. >> when it comes to the dress, when i hear this, i hear, latin, latin, latin, nuclear science, nuclear science. there will come a time we'll get the first glimpse. according to the palace, they have an entire pact of information prepared that they'll deliver via e-mail. they'll hit the send button. even if you're not on camera, we'll ask you to go and begin to describe it.

>> is to make sure we don't have a muffin in our mouth. >> exactly. are there any late possibilities? any long shots? >> flip phillipa lepley was als tossed around. alice temperley. >> her mom was seen with alice temperley? >> yes. >> there's a whole new wardrobe challenge this evening. >> up until this point, kate's look is some what conservative. if she goes with mcqueen, she's stepping it up a big notch. >> it be her moment to become a fashion icon if she chooses mcqueen. it's what the whole fashion industry has been hoping for.

>> what do you think of the fashion so far among the general congregation. >> we can see sara tomp sinson arriving in t arriving in the blue tracy dress. >> a lot of fascinators. >> will a wedding like this rejuvenate the hat industry? will people around the world say, hey, why not wear a hat, where i may not have in the last couple of years? >> for the sake of the british miller i er milliners, i hope so. we also have royal ascots. it's a great excuse for us to put on fabulous hats. >> catherine's done a lot to bring that back. >> she loves hats and

fascinators. this will refire. >> are you sensing a tiara? >> i hope so. >> i think she will. it's her moment to be a ptrue princess. if the queen offered one, i expect she could make it. >> gabrielle and amanda, thank you so much. we'll be back in a moment, but first, these messages. [ tab pops ]

♪ whatever lola wants ♪ ♪ lola gets ♪ and, little man, little lola wants you ♪ [ cellphone dings ] [ cellphones ringing ] [ women screaming ] ♪ make up your mind to have one diet pepsi, please. ♪ no regrets ahh. ♪ what's going on over there? ♪ where? it's really good. do you see it? it's called hope. hope? yeah, hope. i don't see any hope. i don't see any hope in here. you can't see it there, but you can see it here. 'cause every time you get a happy meal or a mighty kids meal some of the money goes to ronald mcdonald house charities to help lots of kids and families. hope's good! happy meals. the simple joy of helping.

♪ not a bad day in london.

the rains are holding off. temperatures in the upper 40s, maybe the low 50s. and the pomp and circumstance. the pageantry about to get under way. we welcome you back. the vip guests will arrive in about ten minutes. some already there. we saw david and victoria beckham, rowan atkinson, charles spencer. a lot of familiar faces and flames in the building. a lot of people leaving buckingham palace. >> kate's maid of honor is her younger sister pippa. the bridesmaids range from 3 to 8 years old. one can only imagine what those little girls are thinking about now. >> but clementine hambroug herks knows. she was 5 years old. famously remembered for tears,

she trimped. the princess asked her if she bumped her button. she said no, she bumped her head. >> she asked me did you bump your bottom. >> i know. but i thought that was not plit. what do you remember at that day when you were only 5 years old? >> i remember various things. i remember -- >> it's a long day for a little girl. >> i remember being excited. being very proud to be involved. i had very little idea of what actu actually, what the situation was going on. >> you couldn't appreciate the grandeur of it. >> no. >> when did that part sink in for you?

>> i think that sunk in when i was about -- just a bit later, 7, 8, 9, 10. i was very reticent about it as a child. i never really discussed it until now. >> why is hat? >> i felt very much, my mother, said to me after the day was over. you have had a wonderful day. very special. you must remember everything. i don't think you should talk ate anymore. so i was like, okay. i didn't. and we did talk about it. i think she meant just don't brag about it. >> what do you think is going through the heads of the kids gathered at the goring hotel? >> i think they'll be -- have absolutely no idea what is going to happen. i think -- i really feel sorry for their parents. >> pins and needles? >> as the mother of toddlers myself, i can only imagine the terror of what could happen.

i think they'll be really excited. it's a great moment for a little girl. you feel like a princess, or with a princess, someone about to become a princess. every little girl's dream to be involved in. >> clementine did not bump her bottom, it was her head instead. enjoy the royal wedding this time around without the nerves. what a pleasure. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. much more to come from here in london. as the vip guests begin to arrive in westminster abbey in just a moment. first, these messages.

welcome back. dan fogle, among the guests at today's wedding, just arrived at the abbey. along with his beautiful wife, marina, who is very, very pregnant. >> he's promised to join us after the lunch. someone else joined us now. we're joined by martin bashir. he conducted the interview with princess diana in 1995. >> i'm delighted to welcome you to my home court. >> there's sir elton john. >> there he is. >> one of the celebrity guests. >> with his partner. david furnish. >> meredith was mention iing th

pregnant wife. mrs. beckham also here, also preg pregnant, wearing her own design. >> they're going to be asking william and catherine about when they're going to have a baby. >> who will be here and who will not? first of all, this is not a state occasion. that's why we won't see president obama and people like that. >> it's because basically, william is an heir to the throne. she's second h line. as such, the only heads of state that need to be invited are obvious the commonwealth countries and realm. >> canada, australia, india. >> pakistan, bangladesh. 54 separate nations in the

commonwealth. there are a large number of guests from those nations. not of the status of being a formal state occasion. >> the former prime ministers, tony blair and gordon brown are not invited. it's not a state occasion. >> prince william invited all of the members of the order of the garter. it's pew chance that the conservatives were invited and labour weren't. >> they wanted it to be a wedding of the people. >> that's right. so many representatives across their lives. people representing their charities. there's john major, the former prime minister. he helped out quite a bit after princess diane that's death.

he was the government adviser at that sad time in 199737 going back to the inclusive nature of the guest list, it's because they do touch different people's lives. william is involved in charity, in the sporting arena. >> all 27 crew members of his raf search and rescue team are invited. >> but that's his day job. he's a regular guy doing a regular job day in and day out. >> and catherine invited people from bucklebury. the butcher, the local pubsman, landlo landlord, people like that. >> we interviewed the pub owner a few days ago. he didn't have a date yet. natalie was trying to get in there. it didn't work. >> we had a list earlier.

let me know if you think this comes to be. there were some exes. some of williams and some of catherine's. at some weddings, that would not be popular. >> it's quite an incestuous bunch, a lot of people have gone out with each other. actually, all of these kids have known each other for years. their parents are all friends. naturally, they move in the same circles. they went to prep school together. and then they might have went to marlborough college, it's a great private school. those types of middle class or upper middle class children. you're going to get people that have rubbed elbows. >> and it's a sign of the security of their releaationshi

can -- that they can invite the exes. >> i know that william and harry have what they call the circle of trust. and actually, in an interview i had a chance to do with them about four years ago, they talked about how hard it is to make friends, know who to trust, what those friends want from them. then they said something interesting. it's also very hard on our friends, because we come with a lot of baggage. >> it's a difficult situation. they've experienced it from the moment they were born because of their mother. since princess diana passed away, there have been 17 separate people claiming to be

her personal dress maker. that is the sort of thing that happens. everybody wants you for some purpose. it's difficult. in williams a case, he's particularly suspicious of everybody. i went on one occasion with my own family to kensington palace, we had lunch with william, harry, and diana. they were very friendly. but circumspect. our daughter wanted to go to the bathroom, she was taken by prince harry. he didn't say a word to her. walked her to the bathroom, stood outside, then took her back. these young men are suspicious. i guess rightly so. >> he would supposedly conduct a loyalty test. he would give false information to somebody, if it came back to him, he knew. >> you're not going to be seeing the absolute circle of trust coming out and giving interviews. it wouldn't be done. it would be frowned upon.

the people with the best seats at the abbey and will be later at the reception are the close, close, close friends that have been around for years. >> when the ceremony begins, we'll hush up and let you watch it in its entirety. you're seeing some of the pageantry. can we talk about the timing? everything is going to be compared to the last royal wedding, 1981, the t one we really talked about president at that time, it was a difficult time in great britain. the economy was down. compare to it today. >> and in 1947, of course, with the queen, the royals seem to marry in recessions. we're not in an actual recession right now. the marriage of the queen was a splash of color on an otherwise

dark and hard road. i think this might be something the same happening. >> when they brought in the trees, people said the wedding was going to be grander than we thought it might be. >> of course it needs to be fitting with us a territoauster. it's a royal wedding. there are billions watching around the world. we need to do it properly and right. i think they have the balance right. going there in cars, coming back in karcarriages. it's a good balance. >> west minister abpea starting to fill up. the wedding now just about an hour away. ann curry is still outside the abbey. ann? >> that exterior shot, that's the third caravan of vehicles that arrived in the last 15 minutes. the first one was exceedingly

long, mostly cars, very, very expensive cars. on the cars were flags of many different countries. i think it's fair to assume that the vips who were supposed to arrive in about another ten minutes or so, they have already started arriving. there's a way to get into the church without being seen by the media. in the stands outside. you go into the school that is connected to the church. that caravan did just that. we have seen two other caravans of buses. these vip guests are supposed to be foreign royalty, government leaders, and members of the middleton family. the team has tried to take a guesstimation of how many people are in the three-block area. we're guessing more than 4,000 people just in this area alone. coming in early this morning, we were told to be here very, very

early. security was tightening up. many of these people had to be here very, very early. when the care vanavans go by, t cheer. you're looking inside the church. it looks like an english garden, as kate wanted. >> you just saw there, the tomb of the unknown warrior. just after the first world war, the queen placed her wedding bouquet on the tomb of the unknown warrior. we'll have to see if kate will do that. >> she'll have to take a detour on the course down the aisle. that's the only memorial in the abbey that you cannot walk on. >> it's interesting, andrew,

westminster abbey has traditionally been associated with funerals. between 1296 and 1919, i don't believe there was a wedding. >> 600 years without a wedding. between 1947 and 1980, there were five royal weddings. the abbey is not that cruised to it. >> william was in another royal wedding in 1986, i believe, in in the wedding of prince andrew and fergie. he didn't look to happy at the time. in just about 13 minutes, prince harry and william will leave the clarence house in a bentley and arrive. we'll have much more on great day for the royal wedding. we're back right after this. ♪ [ male announcer ] from the first fire,

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good morning. you're looking live at buckingham palace. that is our n n n n n neaeaeaef that magnificent palace here in lond london. now you're looking at westminster abbey, the site of this morning's royal wedding of prince william and catherine middleton. it will take place about an hour from now. already, the building, the room is filling with i guess the general congregation and some vip guests will arrive.

we have more royalty from around the world set to arrive. that is guy ritchie. >> everybody was asking why he was invited. did we get an answer to that? >> clarence house said he was friends with william. he does move in those kinds of circles. he's a bit of a london gag ster, but i thing he's descended from air sto-- aristocracy. i believe the prime smin ster is about to leave downing street. >> following him, the leader of the labour party. >> and there is jeffrey cameron. >> 10 downing street, one of the most famous addresses in the world.

>> he's spoken about the fact that since the heir to the throne should be male, how sit that at the very top in the monarc monarchy, that doesn't apply. >> you have to do it in all 16 countries as a commonwealth. frankly,s the not a job. it's a duty and an honor. >> if william and catherine have a child and that first child is a girl, that girl is not in line for the throne next. >> she would be if -- >> if there is a second child and it's a boy, the boy jumps over and becomes next in line after william. >> we have these rules, they're 1,000 years old, they don't need changing, frankly. >> the queen's been consulted.

she's reported to be amenable to the change if it has the backing of the people. >> the trees were brought in over the last several days. some people have said it gives it a country wedding feeling. that she's a country girl at heart and wanted a slightly different look for the inside of the abbey. i think by most reviews, the people that have seen it, they like the look. >> i think it's lovely. you know whats the like. meredith, you have to have something to talk about for your wedding. >> why not a 120-foot tree? >> there is david cameron, arriving. >> he's got a morning suit. there was speculation he was going to continue the idea that he is a man of the people. he comes from a privileged background. he was perhaps going to wear a

lounge suit. >> she does not have a hat on. >> if we have learned one thing about you people toef years, and i mean you british people, you are on schedule. the bride will not arrive 15 minutes late. >> absolutely. not. >> princess diana was asked if you can be late for your wedding. the lord chamberlain said, yes, you can be is a seconds late. >> the other rule is not to do something to stand out. do not do something to upstage the event or the bride and groom. >> there have been a loft pt of youtube videos where they have stormed in. that won't happen. you can see, just by the orderly behavior of the people and the speed at which they're walking into the abbey, this is a dig

any fied, controlled situation. >> it will be niece knees up la. >> david cameron kamcamped out e at a 14-year-old to see charles and diana's wedding. now he's the leader himself. >> in 1981, unemployment was 3 million. if the united kingdom today, it's 2.5 million. and margaret thatcher, a conservative prime minister was in place. she's too ill to attend the wedding. >> there have been applications for 4,000 street parties to happen after the wedding. that's a traditional-type party

here. >> yes. after coronations, you would have huge street parties. it's up to 5,500 applications in the last few days. >> the interest is picking up. >> it is. it's building. >> we saw earlier david and victoria beckham arriving. i was talking to meredith about the medal he was wearing, the obe, the order of the british empire. it was awarded for services for soccer. william is a huge soccer fan. his particular team is based in birmingham, about 120 miles from london, called aston villa. i met with the captain of aston villa to have him sign a shirt. the camp is nigel. this will be given to him, i'll send to it him from the "today"

show. >> we don't have to call crate & barrel. >> we don't. i have your back, man. >> do you know why he chose aston villa? he didn't want to look favorable to the north or south so he picked a team in the middle. >> we have an ept coming up. william and harry leaving clarence house. harry will be william's best man. often times, the groom has supporters, not a best man. i'm understanding that william is breaking in tradition by choosing harry. why is that? >> he's going back in history. king edward viii had a cousin as a best man. very often they do have brothers. prince andrew had prince edward. other royals have done it. >> what is a supporter? what is the difference?

>> it's just a terminology. i think he'll be wearing the uniform of the life guard. >> we're seeing pictures of william and harry last night outside of charns house. they'll be greeting the fans there. it's a lovely touch. >> it says a lot about them. >> i was broadcasting live. that is princess diana's brother, charles spencer. the uncle of prince william. last night, we were broadcasting live from just outside westminster abbey. we heard a roar. it was prince william. we couldn't believe it. earlier in the day, camilla, prince charles' wife, had done the same thing. they tried to extend the hand of friendship. it's about making this new monarchy, the new period of the monarchy much more accessible and modern. >> it's the diane that factor,

really. the royals need to be touchable to stay in touch with the public. that's what diana did so well. they could aspire to her. she was one of the people. the people's princess. by coming out here and meeting and greeting crowds, who braved the cold weather, they're saying, we're like you, we know why you're here. we appreciate the support. the pluublic loves that. it makes them real. >> but he guards the privacy so much. >> he doesn't like press intrusions. he feels that diana was badly treated by the paparazzi. we have the programs in front of us. they say we were so delighted, so incredibly touched and moved by people that have sent their affection to us. >> now comes the part of the morning you're seeing less andless of us and be hearing more and more of us. we're joined by andrew roberts,

camilla tominy, and martin bashir. in just a few minutes, the brothers will be leaving the building. li life will change forever for them. >> this is a beautiful, happy occasion. i can't stop thinking that this their minds must be their mother. she would be teasing and skroeking with them to reduce the pressure. there's a sense of sadness today. >> he's made sure her presence is felt throughout the ceremony. the music selections, the ring. >> somebody asked me, what would diana have done if she had been alive today? would she have been part of the day? of course she would have. she would haven't upstaged kate. but the princes would have wanted her to be a part of it. >> william said there is not day that goes by that he does not

think about her every day. not being able to say the word mummy, a lot of people take it for granted. he and his brother have not been able to say it for 13 years. >> when diana lived, she was responsible for demist fieing the monarchy. >> he didn't want to cast daylight on the magic. he felt that the mystique of the monarchy was the part of the power. it's since 1969, nobody brought more daylight into the monarchy than princess die can in. in the last 14 years, i think the monarchy stood back from that. they don't like to overexpose themselves. >> i think the princes are running a little bit late.

they were supposed to come out at 5:10. it's now 5:12. >> the procession will go a mile and a half other to westminster abbey along a beautiful route. we went on that mall about 11 times because you were trying to get your lines straight. we went up and down that mall constantly. >> even at a royal occasion you can't stop. really? where is your protocol? >> it's a beautiful, beautiful, tradition traditional, ceremonial route. >> it's colored red to look like a red carpet. it makes it quieter. >> behind us, al is at buckingham palace. al? >> hey, thanks so much, matt. you know, interestingly enough, right now, if you look at the roof of buckingham palace, the

royal standard sup. as cow can see. >> we're going cut you off. >> back to you. >> you are seeing now the bentley leaving clarence house with prince william and prince harry leaving. >> prince william arthur philip louis of wales. he's been in the limelight since he was born. there are the brothers in their military uniforms. >> prince william is wearing red. not his raf uniform. >> a lovely story. the irish guard is an honorariry appointment. and jamie lowther-pinkerton, his closest most trusted aide was an irish guard. william decided to wear the uniform. also, it's red.

that is a nod to the queen's outfit, who always wears a bright color so she can be spotted. >> it's fantastic legend from an important battle. >> william's 28 years old. that makes him slightly younger than the average british groom. his bride to be is 29 years old. >> harry, incidentally, is wearing the blues and royal krun form. kate also regards as being sexy. if you remember, when he graduated, he was wearing that uniform. she liked it a lot. >> people ask what makes a royal wedding special. look at the sights. the bentley coming down the mall and heads toward westminster abbey. >> the royal family has a tremendous link with military service.

it always has been. william's grandfather, the duke of edinburgh fought in the second warld war. his father was in the raf and the royal navy. he's waving there in a m magnificent tunics. it's made of 11 different fabrics. he will not be wanting for warmth. >> he would like to serve in afghanistan. >> i think there might be a political notice. the queen is going to ireland in may. it won't do him any harm that he's representing the irish on this special day. >> we're getting distant shots. often, william is some what stoic. harry said his brother is a lot more fun tham than people give

him credit for being. >> two days before the wedding, he was playing football, or soccer, as you call it, playing in the park. played for a good 80 to 90 minutes. got up, scored a goal. here he is today. >> through the arch. >> that same day, kate was making last-minute preparations. they're typical of any other couple he's fooling around, she's getting the details done. it's true. >> it is. >> just going past the statue of the last duke of cambridge, in fact. >> a mile and half from clarence to the abbey. >> this is now taking them much closer to westminster abbey. we're hoping ann can see the brothers go by. ann can you hear us? >> i think you can probably hear

the church bells of westminster abbey pealing in anticipation of princ princes' arrival. there are three mounted men in uniform ready to greet the prince. two men at attention at the ready in front of the main gate, expecting to greet the prince as the car pulls up. it's not here yet, matt. >> ann, thank you very much. we have william and harry heading off to the abbey. the way this will work out in the end, andrew, martin, camilla, kate will be the last person to arrive at the abbey, just before kate middleton, or catherine, will be the queen. >> she's always the person who arrives just before the bride.

>> when are we expected to see prince charles and the dutchess of cornwall? >> matt? the princes are arriving. waving to the crowd. you can see people very excited. i'll let you hear the roar. he's coming up to the main gate now. and the car stops right in front of the two men standing at attention, they have been standing there at attention for 15 minutes awaiting his arrival. >> and you'll notice, matt, not a hand shake there, just a salute to the fellow officer.

harry extends a hand of friend ship. >> look at them together. i have thought over the last 14 years, how lucky they are to have each other. they talk about the bond, they don't know what they would have done without each other, especially after the death of their mum. the bells ringing. will there be any recognition of their arrival by the people inside? >> i think people will be stretching their necks, imminently looking to him. i don't know if there will be a signal. he's being taken into the abbey. introduced to the clergy. >> he looks a touch nervous. he should be. he's doing his duty very well. the hand shaking. he's just another groom to be, though royal. trying to keep control of his

jitters. >> at the time of diana's death, he asked for the cart ya watch of hers. his brother asked for the ring. at the time of the engagement, he went to harry and asked for the ring. harry said, you take it. >> i think diana would be so touched by that. she would be happy that the legacy continues. >> he's wearing the sash of the order of the grter but always the raf wings. he's a qualified pilot. he's wearing a single medal. harry, because he's fought in afghanistan is wearing two. >> and for the next few years, he'll continue with his piloting in the raf in wales. >> he will. >> it's interesting. william is teased by harry about two things. harry won medals for service in afghanistan. and the other is because he has so much more hair than his brother.

>> i'm sure that will come up later. >> both are sporting a bit of hat head this time. >> there woenlt be a next time. >> of course. i didn't mean to say that. >> there won't be. there's a lot of pressure on the couple. >> people close to them say they're deeply and madly in love. they have had a decade to get to know each other, become friends. they met, of course; at st. an deuce as just friends, a few doors down at the hall. that puts them in great stead. they've been able to get used to royal life, kate has. diana, 19, didn't know charles very well. totally different circumstances. >> we saw them walking past

empty choir stools. the service will begin with an intrite. the choir will process in. everybody else is filling up. >> when the queen arrives in a little while, do the people inside the abbey stand? is that custom? >> no, i don't think they do. i think what will happen is they'll stand at the moment the organ plays for the arrival of the bride. >> not the queen? >> no. >> the royal family will be on the right-hand side. the middletons will be on the left. >> you spent time there? >> we were there for the easter services. we listened to the choir. i started to cry. my friend said, oh, my gosh, already with the tears. it's just beautiful. >> the musing that will resound

is beautiful. the hymns very british. william blake, charles wesley. the welshman. >> and there is new music as well. >> there is. >> you're just seeing -- you saw prince william talk ing ing to someone in the middletons side. prince harry is talking to his uncle. >> the prince will do this for another 10, 20 minutes. for the final to minutes before kate arooifs, he and harry go to a separate room and have a moment between them. they joked last week, we won't allow cameras in there. >> apparently, william is very fond of carole and michael

middleton. >> they're a strong couple. very happily married. a stable family. a very close family. >> mr. middleton would not be in the abbey yet. he would be arriving with kate. it would be mrs. middleton. she'll be leaving the goring hotel in minutes, along with her son, james. the last arrivals would be kate and her father, michael. >> that's the goring hotel. >> the hallway or sheathe has been erected so we get little in terms of the glimpse of the wedding gown until she steps out in front of westminster abbey. some of the others expected to be in attendance, members of royal families from abroad. the former king of greece, king

c constantine. >> was that james getting in the car? >> that was carole middleton and james getting in the car. james will deliver the only reading today. >> he will. it's from the epistle of the romans. >> carole is wearing katherine walker. >> she passed away last year. at the memorial service, her name was being wantied around with her name being associated with the royal bridal affair. it was rumors. she was linked in some way to the royal wedding wardrobe. >> in terms of the dress, for a remi reminder, at the moment we see the dress for the first time, we'll hear from gabrielle hackworthy and amanda wakefield.

the palace will release an e-mail with the details of the dress the instant it's seen for the first time. if you're at home at a computer, that will give you advanced information. >> i think it's magnificent that she has kept it a secret so her groom will be blown away when he sees it. >> he'll be the last man on earth to see her in the dress because of the way the abbey is laid out. he'll be up at the altar. he won't see it before she comes through the screen. the rest of the world will be watching. he doesn't have a live tv feed. >> reportedly, catherine has planned to go to the university of edinburgh. >> poor carole was ambitious.

she's certainly a social climber. st. an deuce does attract a certain type of student. she's wanted her children to meet the right people. >> she and her husband are self-. ma self-made millionaires. >> enrollment at st. andrews shot up after kate and william were there. >> it's meant to be the hottest uft for marriage in the country. other 10% of undergraduates marry because they meet there. >> that brings up a subject of the fairy tale nature of the wedding. these two have known each other for ten years, dated on and off, livid together for awhile at university and now live together. >> also in april of 2007, a

six-week split. they couldn't be happy without each other. i think that is important. >> peter alexander, what can you see? >> well, we'll give you a sense of our route. right next to us, you see italy, spain, canada, and mexico. if you pan, we'll see the middletons. the crowd beginning to erupt. for a lot of people people, they're looking at the back of somebody's head. take a look right now. see them passing us. everybody waving their union jacks throughout the area. i want to introduce you to some of the americans. what states are represented here? >> ohio. >> new mexico. >> washington. >> missouri. >> and this is little andrew. this is a future prince waiting

for his princess to come as well. give us a sense of the experience. why you woke up for this? >> amazing. it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be here. >> meredith, back to you. >> peter, thank you so much. >> a great british brand. >> behind us, we have some action. a couple of the buses. that are leaving. no shame in riding in one of those. it's a good way to get there. >> i can assure you that her majesty, the queen is not in one of those. >> and not driving one either. she loves to drive. >> the vehicles that have conveyed members to the abbey, great british brands, carole

middleton in a jaguar. prince william and harry in a bentley. sold since 1927 in london. >> rolls-royces have been the vehicles and carriages. including the 1902 state landau. >> would prince andrew and edward be in the buses? >> i don't believe. i don't believe they are. i suspect those individuals may be members of the royal house hold. maybe assistants. and people who -- >> prince philip. maybe some top-flight royals there. i have seen buses deliver royals before. when camilla parker bowles daughter got married, william

and kate and harry appeared in a bus. >> the queen's first great grand daughter was just recently born. >> savannah. >> savannah. >> the queen just had her 85th birthday recently. prince philip will be 90 in june. >> she undertook 387 state duties last year. prince philip 308. >> it's difficult to exaggerate the depth and breadth of love for the royals. >> back to ann outside westminster abbey. ann? >> this might be the car carrying carole middleton.

the mother of kate middleton. we'll see. and, i think that might be her. in fact, it is, indeed, her. i believe also in the car is her son, kate's james. who is now walking with his mother. toward the main entrance of the church. and you can see the two red guards standing there to greet them. as they have standing at attention. and also coming up, after them, is another bus full of people. this might be a bus of members of the royal family. we understand there were some arriving by bus, you guys. >> james is, what, 24 years old? he's had an up and down time with the press over the years. andrew points to camilla.

>> it was rather unfortunate that james happened to be caught out a couple of times by the paparazzi. i think once photographed wearing a dress to a fancy dress party. another time, looking too worse for wear. he now runs a cake business. it's aligned to party pieces, the middletons' family firm. >> she just shook hands with the bishop of london. >> i've got a bit more detail on carole middleton's outfit. sky blue royal skirt dress. they are by catherine walker. she sadly passed away last year. her daughters have carried on the design house, i believe. her hat is by jane corbett.

she's gone local with her millinery. >> worth remembering, this is a very close family. when die can that married charles 30 years ago. she was the child of divorced parents. she had a brutaled a lens sense with depression and anorexia. here's a young woman, in katherika catherine middleton who has parents married for 30 years. >> her mother is being seen as having sharp elbows. i think what the queen loves about kate is that she's from a

good, strong background. >> back here at buckingham palace. now we have a rolls-royce is it? several of them. >> is that prince charles and camilla? chlt i think it will be. it is on time. >> this is now the senior royal family leaving the palace. >> i think prince andrew was one of those. >> it's the duke of york, beatrice, eugenie. the royal protocol is being followed. >> prince andrew is wearing the royal naval uniform. he was a helicopter pilot in the balkans conflict. >> prince edward's wife had an accident a cup of days ago? is that correct? >> i think she damaged a rib, i

heard. it's very unfortunate. she's going to be dressed by bruce oldfield. beatrice and eugenie will both be wearing jimmy chu. sophie wessex is close to the queen. she and kate are both commoners. both from very stable, middle class backgrounds. the queen loves that about sophie. she also likes kate. she likes good, ordinary girls from good stock who are family oriented. who will be good in the royal family in the future. >> as queen, she likes to go out to the country side and put her feet up and watch tv at night. >> sophie and the queen are so close, they do watch television together sometimes. >> want to mention what we did not see as we watch these guests arrive. after we saw william and harry

arriving, they were ushered away into the tiny chapel of st. edmonde edmond. >> that is the duke and duchess of gloucester. >> the duke and duchess of kent. she suffered from agoraphobia. she never recovered from losing a child in the '70s and likes to keep a low profile. she's doing what royals do best today, her duty, and is supporting the queen. >> behind them, the gloucesters. the tall chap with the beard. >> now we can see what you were referring to. >> wonderful. >> it's wonderful because mike

tindall is the captain of the royal rugby team. >> very close. they've developed quite a bond, he and william. >> in the to 03 world cup in australia, when magnificently londened won it. the princes were in the crowd and came into the locker room after the game, drank champagne. as you can see from mike's face, he's played a few games in his time. >> the fiphillips who had the blo blonde hair just had the queen's first great grandchild. >> there's charles and camilla. >> and the subject of one of the other great love stories of this

day. their love has spand over 30 years. >> the third person in the marriage, as princess diana said. >> he has been in love with her for 40 years. he's fun to happiness. >> the public has accepted her. >> absolutely. those events were over a decade ago. >> but that's in part because of her actions. she's not spoken a lot. but she's been out taking part in charities and doing an awful lot of good for people in this country. >> she had 499 rioyal duties as year. >> the british population spends a pound per person per year for the royal family. the prince of wales and his wife coming toward the wedding.

in 2005, when they were married, prince william and harry were determined to support the occasion. the service of blessing was supported by the boys. i think that has been an enormous support to charles. it's indicated a way for the country to get over the impact of diana. >> i think it's a cliche, behind every great man there great woman. charles was going to engagements before the wedding and looked unhappy. their popularity has increased. people didn't expect it. i think now that the years have passed, people are more accepting of them as a couple of course, she will be queen one day. whether she's called it remains to be seen. on paper and constitutionally, she'll be queen camilla. >> just for the people at home,

you're looking at the exterior of westminster abbey. the vip guests are arriving. we're joined in london by martin bashir, of msnbc, andrew reports and camilla tomin yirks. i'm matt lauer, along with meredith viera, and ann and al as well. >> magnificent head wear. >> nobody is describes who those hats are milinered by. >> when you think that the crown prince of swaziland is present, you wonder -- >> let's take break. come to the shot of buckingham palace. you're looking at her majesty

the queen. >> and prince philip. >> and prince philip. the duke of edinburgh. >> they thought she would wear yellow and she is wearing yellow. >> what a seat we have. >> there will be cheers every yard en route from the palace to the abbey. the queen is adored by this nation. >> she's been such a constant for so many years. >> a constant servant to the nation and a wonderful example of how to live in the difficult life of the monarchy with charm and distinction. >> a fitting tribute. this wedding comes as such a great time. her 85th birthday, prince philip, 90. this is at the start of her diamond jubilee year. she's already approached her 60th year on the throne.

>> she's very healthy. her mother lived to 101. there could be a platinum jubilee. >> some people saying she will retire. you're shaking your head. >> it does not happen in britain. >> but the chance of skipping over prince charles? >> it can't. it shouldn't. it won't happen. prince charles has been this that job longer than any other heir to the throne. he's trained for it. he's ready for it. >> the bridesmaids getting set to lee the goring hotel. >> some of kate's family have left. >> king constantine, i had the opportunity to interview him. should william need any advice,

the queen is always there for him, the best source he could ever have. >> camilla is wearing, i understand, from my missive, duck egg blue. >> this is camilla. wearing anna valentine. blue and champagne coat. a phillip treacy hat. and jimmy chu shoes. >> that seems to be the order of the day, shoes by jimmy chu. >> pitch in here, martin. >> they hurt women's feet. look at the prince. he carried something like nine separate distinguished medals for service. removing his white gloves and walking into the abbey. >> he's wearing the order of the

garter and the order of the thistle. the scottish order of chivalry. >> we can hear the bands of the grenadier guards. >> there is the prince and the queen. >> for weeks, i have been saying, really? but you sit here and watch the queen leaving the palace and you see prince charles and camilla and it's very, very exhilarating. >> admit you're excited. >> i admit it. >> you're an american. you share in this. owe rejoice in it. you accept that it's part of british life that we're proud of in this country. and i think it's something to, as you can see, celebrate. it's beautiful, isn't it? >> it's this couple. in particular, william. we watched this little boy grow up. saw him in good time and bad times. i think americans love him and his brother and wish him the best. and the fact that catherine is a

commoner, as you put it. >> it's the first time in years that a future king has married someone from the middle classes. it's wonderful. >> they're in horse guards parade. the trooping of the colors takes place over year. they'll drive to horse guards road. >> it's around the queen's official birthday. on my birthday, june 14th. >> wonderful. >> in just about five minutes, catherine middleton and her father, michael, will be leaving the goring hotel. >> a reminder. what will happen here. all participants will be in the abbey, we'll lay back here so you can get the full effect of

this, the sights and the sounds maybe a couple of points of refrenr reference. you'll see, for the most part, what the people will see here. >> the queen has on angela kelly. hand-sewn beading at the neck. she designed the beautiful crepe hat. >> not a famous designer from a fashion house. she used to be a lowly dresser. she's made it up the ranks at the palace to become the queen's closest aide. she designs all the queen's outfits. >> i love that the queen loves colors. >> she need to be seen. she wants the crowd to get a look at her. >> it's also remarkable. i believe at 3 years of age,

she's the youngest bridesmaid to attend a royal wedding. >> two are three. grace van cutsem and i elizabeth lopes. >> pippa was between the two little one. is there she had her hair down. could bit a sign, meredith? >> hmm. >> a sign of what? >> a sign of how kate might wear her hair. >> he's still at the jimmy chus going, what are those? >> no, my wife wears them. >> let's watch as the queen gets out of her car at the abbey. >> what memories she must have of her own wedding day. >> for jewelry, she's wearing the queen mary's true lover's

knot brooch. >> they open the door for her and she got out the other side. >> i got a tour by the reverend. i said, should i wish you good luck? he said, you could offer a prayer for me. >> ann? must be very exciting there at the abbey right now. >> it really is. to stand here and watch all of this. when the queen arrived, the crowd shouted out the biggest cheer so far this morning. another point. they were odds being taken. people betting on what color hat the queen would wear. the odds were yellow. she's never seen in public without a hat. it's very interesting to note she married her husband, prince philip, in this very church, westminster abbey.

their wedding was seen as a chance for the country to celebrate, just like today, because in their arnlg, 11 days into world war ii. for kate and william, it's a time when the world is hurting in so many ways. the wedding is seen as a chance to hope and to enjoy a lovely moment to enjoy the story of love. >> ann, thank you. so much has been right on schedule so far. that means we're expecting that any moment now catherine middleton will be leaving the goring hotel in minutes, along with her father. we may just get in the left side of your screen there, a one-second glimpse of the dress. as the door is opened. >> leaving the hotel and leaving behind her old life.

>> see flashbulbs going off. they must see something we can't see around the corner. she is 29 years old. the oldest single woman to marry a future king. >> slightly older than him. he'll be 29 in june. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. >> the first -- college-educa d college-educated. >> and there she is. >> we have hardly seen her. >> i saw a veil. that's all i could see. >> she'll pull away. >> her hair is down. >> oh, wow. i think it is. >> she has to have her shoulders and arms covered because of the

solemnity of the abbey. the veil will be long. a tradition wedding dress. we expect her to have a train. i have heard rumors it is ten feet long. >> can you tell the designer. >> i think the rumors that sit sarah burton is confirmed. >> what can you tell us? >> it looks similar to a phillipa lepley design. she's known for the lace overlay of the bodice. until we see the skirt, it's hard to tell. we have just seen the tops and bodice at this point. >> as we mentioned, kate and prince william met at st. andrews in 2001. theirs is a romance ten years in the making. on and off again.

mostly on. they live in scotland, a remote part of wales. >> here's the journey she's beginning that will transform her life forever. >> and for the last time, i will say it, they used to call her waity katie. she's waiting no more. >> you can see her juggling the bow k bouquet of flowers. just like my wife carried 25 years ago. >> we would expect a sprig in the flowers. there's a bush of those flowers that still grows. everybody that married into the

royal family carries a sprig of that tree in their bouquet. >> do you do something old, something new, something bar roed and something blue? >> we do. we expect her tiara to be old and bar rorrowed. >> have you seen more of the gresz? >> it's a long-sleeved dress with a full skirt. we're excited she's wearing a tiara. there was talk of a floral wreath. the key yar la looks spectacular on her. it would be one of the queen's personal collection. >> people were hoping she would wear the hair down. >> her hair is beautiful. it would be a shame to not show it off. she's enjoying this. she's waving. she's smiling.

>> mr. middleton looks like a wonderfully proud father. >> we were talking earlier about whether catherine would wear the tiara of the queen, the one worn by princess ann. >> you can see the motorcycles. leading her by the crowd here at buckingham palace. the reaction she's getting. >> the momentous scene here at the palace. the crowd is at fever pitch now having glimpsed the bride. they've waited for hours for this moment. there she is in all her glory. >> she does look beautiful, doesn't she? >> it's impossible to imagine what is going through her mind. for all she has heard about this day. to be in the back of that car, seeing these people lining the streets, waving to her with such a show of emotion.

>> i think she is wearing a tiara, isn't she? >> she is. >> there are the bridesmaids and the pageboys. the boys are matching prince william in the red. >> and there's pippa. >> one of them is billy lowther-pinkerton, the son of the private secretary. >> pippa is 27 years old. not married. just crowned as the country's most desirable singleton in 2008. >> what a lovely touch to see her leading the little girls by hand there. they're only 3 years old. it will be a moment for their mothers to treasure forever. >> unlike in the u.s., the bridesmaids and the page boys will follow the bride up the aisle. >> that's what we understand from what the palace has told us.

>> rather than lead. >> we had problems in queen victoria's time. the bridesmaids kept standing on dress. >> we haven't said much about security. as we watch the cars pass so many people. the general public. people from around the world. we see the soldiers or the police officers there with the backs to the cars. it's an enormous undertaking. >> 5,500 guards and police are on duty. so far, not a single moment of trouble. >> i'm not a jewelry expert, but the best odds were on the cambridge lover's knot tiaras. the queen loaned that to diana on her wedding day. diana didn't wear it. she wore a spencer tiara. it was one of her favorites and

was returned to the queen after diana's death. i wonder if it is that tiara. i am waiting on the e-mail from the palace. >> and if it was, another nod to diana. >> the one thing that has been a little late this morning, weave been expecting the e-mail from the palace. they said they would get it to us as soon as it starts. maybe the minute she gets out of the car. >> the minute she's out of the car at the abbey. >> the other two bridesmaids, one of them is the daughter of lord linley. >> dressed difference than the one that stole williams a heart back in 2002. >> yes. though it has a lace element. >> and here they're driving along government buildings en

route to the abbey. she's holding a bouquet in one hand and waving with the other. >> she's a natural royal. for the first engagements with william, she got out of the car, the audience gasped. she looked as if she was doing it for years. she's a class act. >> that's why her popularity is continuing to grow. >> if it is the cambridge tiara, it would be a nod to her becoming the duchess of cambridge. >> the ceremony is expected to last over an hour. just over an over, about an hour and five minutes. afterwards, they'll make their way back to buckingham palace for lunch and reception tonight. but not before at about 8:25

east coast time, we'll see the kiss on the balcony just behind us here at the palace. >> when you said that, the sun has just begun to shine. >> a romantic, martin. >> let's go back to ann. catherine middleton is arriving. >> that's right. the sun, as we just heard, has just come out. just in the few moments before kate middleton arrives. she's about to step out of the car. let's listen. [ bells ringing ] >> you can see her sister, pippa, is leaving the abbey to come and greet her sister.

>> sarah burton designed the dress. >> what did i say, matt? she was seen at the goring hotel last night. what a dress she's designed for kate. >> gabrielle and amanda, jump in here if you would like. >> there's the crane. there's the train. >> and i think one of the wonderful things we're about to see is the back detail of the dress and is scale of it. i think sara burt season brilliant at the scale of what she does. there you see pippa, the sister and maid of honor looks like she's in a bias-cut crepe

short-sleeved dress. a lot of embroidery at the help of the dress. it would have been hand done. hundreds of hours of embroidery. the lace is probably french lace. i would say. definitely. i think what is also very beautiful is the veil doesn't obscure her face. it's very clean. a sense of a beautiful glow. and i think pippa's bridesmaid dress is indicative of mod rn fashion today. a very streamlined silhouette. it fish-tails out. a cowl neckline and lace trim. >> they've started the music here. let's sit back and watch as catherine makes her way into westminster abbey for the most -- one of the most important days of her life. >> the wedding dress, sarah

burton, alexander mcqueen. he passed away. a great british institutions. the skirt was hand sewn.

♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ guide me o thou great redeemer pilgrim through this barren land ♪ ♪ i am weak, but thou art mighty ♪ ♪ hold me with thy powerful hand ♪ ♪ bread of heaven bread of heaven ♪ ♪ feed me till i want no more ♪ ♪ open now the crystal fountain whence the healing stream doth flow ♪ ♪ let the fiery

cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through ♪ ♪ strong deliverer strong deliverer be thou still my strength and shield ♪ ♪ when i tread the verge of jordan hid by my anxious fears subside ♪ ♪ death of death and hell's destruction ♪ ♪ land me safe

on canaan's side ♪ ♪ song of prizes song of prizes ♪ ♪ i will ever give to thee i will ever give to thee ♪ >> dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of god, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate, instituted of god himself, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt

christ and his church, which holy estate christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, in cana of galilee. and is commended to holy writ to be honorable among all men. and therefore is not by any to be enter priced, new yo eprized in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, but reverently, discreetly, soberly, and in the fear of god, duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained. first, he was ordained for the increase of man kind according to the will of god, and that children might be brought up in the fear and nurture of the lord, and to the praise of his holy name. secondly, it was ordained in order that the natural instincts

and affections, implanted by god, should be hallowed and directed aright, that those who are called of god to this holy estate should continue therein in pureness of living. thirdly, it was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity. into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. therefore, if any man can shed any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak or else hereafter forever hold his peace.

>> i require and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, ye do now confess it. for be ye well assured, that so many as are coupled together otherwise than god's word doth allow are not joined together by god, neither is there matrimony lawful. william arthur philip louis, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together according to god's law in the holy estate of matrimony? will thou love here, comfort her, humor and keep her, in sickness and in health? and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as you both shall live? >> i will. >> catherine elizabeth, wilt how to have this man as thou

wedded husband, to live together according to god's law in the holy estate of matrimony? wilt thou love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health? d forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live? >> i will. >> who giveth this woman to be married to this man? >> i, william arthur philip >> i william arthur philip louis. >> take three, catherine elizabeth. >> take thee, catherine elizabeth. >> to be my wedded wife to have and to hold. >> to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold. >> from this day forward. and there to i give me my troth.

>> and there to, i give thee my troth. >> i catherine elizabeth. >> i catherine e businesslet. >> take thee, william ar their philip louis. >> take th erk e, william arthur philip louis. >> to by wedded house. >> to my wedded house. >> to have and to hold there this day forward. >> to have and to hold there this day forward. >> for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health. to love and to cherish, till death do us part. >> until death do us part. >> bless, o lord, this ring, and

grant that he who gives it and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other, and abide in thy peace and favor and live together in love until their lives' end. through jesus christ our lord, amen. >> amen. >> amen. >> with this ring i thee wed, >> with this ring i thee wed. >> with my body i thee honor. >> with my body, i thee honor. >> with all my worldly goods with thee i share, in the name of the father, and the son and the holy ghost. amen. >> let us pray. o eternal god, creator and preserver of all mankind, give of all spiritual grace, the

author of everlasting life, send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name, that living faithfully together, they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge, and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy law, through jesus christ our lord. >> all: amen. >> those whom god hath joined together, let no man put asunder. for as much as william and catherine have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before god and this company, and thereto have given and pledged

their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands, i pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost. amen. >> all: amen. >> god the father, god the son, god the holy ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you, the lord mercifully with his favor look upon you, and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. amen. >> all: amen. ♪

♪ love divine all loves excelling ♪ ♪ joy of heaven to earth come down ♪ ♪ fix in us thy humble dwelling ♪ ♪ all thy faithful mercies crown ♪ ♪ jesu, thou art all compassion ♪ ♪ pure unbounded love thou art ♪ ♪ visit us with thy salvation enter every trembling heart ♪

♪ come, almighty to deliver let us all thy life receive ♪ ♪ suddenly return and never never more thy temples leave ♪ ♪ thee we would be always blessing ♪ ♪ serve thee as thy hosts above ♪ ♪ pray and praise thee without caring glory in thy perfect love ♪

♪ finish then thy new creation pure and spotless let us be ♪ ♪ let us see thy great salvation ♪ ♪ perfectly restored in thee ♪ ♪ changed from glory into glory till in heaven we take our place ♪ ♪ till we cast our crowns before thee

lost in wonder, love and praise ♪ >> i appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of god, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to god, which is your spiritual worship. do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will

of god, what is good and acceptable and perfect. let love be genuine, hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good, love one another with mutual affection, outdo one another in showing honor. do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the lord. rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. contribute to the needs of the

saints, extend hospitality to strangers. bless those who persecute you. bless and do not curse them. rejoice with those who rejoice. weep with those who weep. live in harmony with one another. do not be haughty, but asosociae with the lowly. do not claim to be wiser than you are. do not repay anyone evil for evil. but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. if it is possible, so far as it

depends on you, live peaceably with all. ♪ this is the day the day which the lord has made ♪ ♪ we will rejoice and be glad in it ♪ ♪ this is the day the day which the lord hath made we will

rejoice and be glad in it note ♪ ♪ this is the day ♪ o praise the lord of heaven praise him in the highest praise him all ye angels of his ♪ ♪ praise him all his host ♪ praise the lord of heaven praise him in the height ♪ ♪ praise him all yes angels

♪ praise him sun and moon praise him all ye stars and light ♪ praise him in all thy way ♪ ♪ the lord himself is my keeper the lord is my defense upon my right hand so that the sun shall not burn thee by day ♪ ♪ neither the moon by night ♪ the lord shall preserve thee from all evil ♪ ♪ yea it is even he that shall

keep thy soul ♪ ♪ the lord shall preserve thy giving out and thy coming in ♪ ♪ from this time forth from this time forth from this time forth for evermore ♪ ♪ he shall defend thee he shall defend thee he shall defend thee under his wings ♪ ♪ he shall defend thee he shall defend thee, he shall defend

thee under his wings ♪ ♪ be strong and he shall comfort thine heart shall comrt thine heart ♪ ♪ and put thou thy trust in the lord ♪ ♪ put thou thy trust in the l d lolor

lord ♪ ♪ in the lord >> be who god meant you to be. and you will set the world on fire. so said st. catherine of sienna, whose festival day it is today. marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what god meant each one to be. their deepest and their truest

selves. many people are fearful of the prospects of our world. the message in the celebrations in this country and far beyond its shores is the right one. this is a joyful day. it is good that people in every continent is able to share in these celebrations because this is as every wedding day should be, a day of hope. in a sense, every wedding is a royal wedding. with the bride and the groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together. so that life can flow through them into the future. william and catherine, you have chosen to be married in the sight of a generous god. who so loved the world that he gave himself to us. in the person of jesus christ. and in the spirit of this

generous god, husband and wife are to give themselves to each other. and spiritual life grows as love finds its center beyond ourselves. faithful and committed rilgs ships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this. the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul. the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. in marriage, we're seeking to bing one another into fuller life. it is, of course, hard to wean ourselves away from self-centeredness. people with dream of doing such a thing. but the hope should be

fulfilled, it is necessary that a solemn decision is made. whatever the difficulties, we're committed to the way of generous love. you have both made your decision today. i will. and by making this new relationship you have aligned yourselves with what we believe is the way in which life is spiritually evolving. and which will lead to a creative future for the human race. we stand looking forward to a century which is full of promise and full of peril. human beings are confronting the question of how to cruise wisely the power that has been given to us through the discoveries of the last century. we shall not be converted to the promise of the future by more

knowledge but rather by an increase of loving wisdom and reverence for life, for the earth, and for one another. marriage should transform as husband and wife make one another their work of art. it is possible to transform so la long as we don't harbor ideas of reform our partners. there must be no coercion in the spirit is to flow. 've much give each other the place and freedom. chaucer sums it up in a pithy phrase, when mastery cometh, the god of love anon, beateth his wings and farewell, he is gone.

as the reality of god has faded from so many lives in the west, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meanings and happiness in life. this is to load our partner with too great a burden. we are all incomplete. we need mutual forgiveness in order to thrive. as we move toward our partner in love, following the example of jesus christ, the holy spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light. and this leads on to a family life. which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can receive and exchange those gives which can overcome fear and

division and incubate the coming world of the spirit. whose fruits are love and joy and peace. i pray that all of us present, and the many millions watching this ceremony and sharing in your joy today, will do everything in our power to support and uphold you in your new life. and i pray that god will bless you in the way of life that you have chosen. that way which is expressed in the prayer that you have composed together. in preparation for this day. god our father, we thank you for our families, for the love that we share, and for the joy of our marriage.

in the busyness of each day, keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life, and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy. strengthened by our union, help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. we ask this in the spirit of e jesus christ, and we all say, amen.

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♪ ♪ amen ♪ ♪ amen

let us pray. lord, have mercy upon us. >> lord, have mercy upon us. >> lord have mercy upon us. our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thc name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in hech. give thus day or daily bread and forgive us our trespasses. as we forgive them that trespass against us and led us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil. amen. oh, lord, save thy servant and

tmy handmaiden -- >> all: who put their trust in th erk e. >> oh, lord, send them help from thy holy place. on lord, hear our prayer. >> all: and let our cry come unto thee. >> oh, god of our fathers, bless these thy servants. and now the seed of internal life in their hearts. that whatsoever in thy holy word, they shall profitably learn, they may in deed fulfill the same, that so obeying thy will, and always being in safety under thy protection, they may abide in thy love unto their lives' end, through jesus christ our lord.

>> all: amen. >> o merciful lord and heavenly father, by whose gracious gift mankind is increased, bestow, we beseech thee, upon these two persons the heritage and gift of children, and grant that they may see their children christianly and virtuously brought up to thy praise and honor, through jesus christ our lord. >> all: amen. >> o god, who has taught us that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by matrimony had is made one, and hast consecrated the state of matrimony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt christ and his church, look mercifully upon these thy servants, that both this man may love his wife according to thy word, as christ did love his spouse the church, who gave himself for it, loving and cherishing it even as his own

flesh. and also that this woman may be loving and amiable and faithful to her husband, and in all quietness, sobriety, and peace, be a follower of holy and godly matrons. o lord, bless them both, and grant them to inherit thy everlasting kingdom, through jesus christ our lord. >> all: amen. >> almighty god, the father of our lord jesus christ, pour upon you the riches of his grace, sanctify and bless you, that ye may please him both in body and soul and live together in holy love unto your lives' end. >> all: amen. ♪

♪ and did those feet in ancient time walk upon england's mountains green ♪ ♪ and was the holy lamb of god on england's pleasant pastures seen ♪ ♪ and did the countenance divine shine forth upon our clouded hills ♪ ♪ and was jerusalem built here among the dark satanic mills ♪

♪ ♪ bring me my love of burning gold bring me my arrows of desire ♪ ♪ bring me my spear o clouds unfold ♪ ♪ bring me my chariot of fire ♪ it will not cease from mental fight ♪ ♪ nor shall my sword sleep in my

hand nil we have built jerusalem in england's green and pleasant land ♪ >> let us pray. o almighty lord, and everlasting god, vouchsafe, we beseech thee to direct, sanctify, and govern both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws and in the works of thy commandments. that through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul, through our lord and savior jesus christ. >> all: amen.

>> the blessing of god almighty, the father, the son, and the holy ghost be amongst you and remain with you always. ♪ amen amen ♪ amen ♪ amen ♪ amen ♪

♪ ♪ god save our gracious queen long live our noble queen god save the queen ♪ ♪ send her victorious happy and glorious ♪ ♪ long to reign over us god save

the queen ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ you are watching a special edition of "today" at the royal wedding, looking inside westminster abbey. as catherine middleton, now the princess, and prince william are in a private area of the abbey and they're signing a register. we're joined by camilla and meredith and martin and and drew. what is going on? >> they're signing t ining in t

of edward the confessor. >> there are a number of witnesses in there signing as witnesses to their marriage. that will be carole middleton, michael middleton, kate's parents. prince charles and camilla. prince harry, james and pippa middleton. >> they said every wedding is a royal wedding because we are the subjects of the king of creation. a beautiful way to open the sermon. as the service continues, it's been a spectacular performance of music, of song, and the christian worship. >> a moment as the ceremony was beginning, prince william was standing with michael and kate middleton, he mouthed something to mr. middleton, his father-in-law. and a lip reader from one of the news organizations was that he

said, we were supposed to have just a small family affair. >> you look at them and we had some comments here on the set while we were watching. you thought they looked nervous, cam mill will. that's understandable. probably 2 billion reasons to be nervous. >> i think so. but i think kate's glamour and beauty outshines here. she looks amazing. meredith and i have been welling up. such a fairy tale dress. so reman tick with the lace and the veil. >> as does pippa as well. so fitting. >> i was very impressed. we're now mile and half away from westminster abbey. crowd gathered here. as the vous were said, andrew, after each set of vous, cheers went up here in the crowd behind us. >> all over london. hundreds of thousands of people listening to this on loud speak

ners the parks as well. i caught an echo of them cheering, too. >> so much for any rain. the sun is shining to brightly. >> they'll soon be returning, 1,900 in the church. just over 600 later on. >> i was swept away with you all as the hymn jerusalem was sung, you both broke out in song. that was played as both of your weddings. and the people behind us were waving their flags and sing as well. >> a traditional hymn here. it finishes on the line in england's green land. they knew that the crowd would applaud it and sing it. >> another note, the archbishop

of canterbury, what a voice on him. i want to hear him say, this is "today" on nbc. that guy's got pipes, no doubt about it. >> he's not just a voice. he's a learned historian. he's got degrees. >> the household cavalry moved from buckingham palace to behind us. >> two regiments of them. magnificent looking soldiers. >> just a few minutes left in the service. the carriages are waiting to transport the duke and duchess of cambridge to the palace. >> what we saw going to the wedding w