Official royal wedding photos of Prince William and Kate Middleton -– now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — were released on Saturday.
The couple, all smiles for the camera, couldn't look happier.
The portraits, taken by their official photographer Hugo Burnand in the Buckingham Palace throne room, include three poses: A romantic image of the couple alone, a cheery ensemble picture of the pair with the children,
and one for the family album, featuring the bride and groom with the wedding party, their parents, siblings and of course William's grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Which picture is your favorite?
Click the pics to see bigger versions, and then vote in the poll below.
Top photo: The bride and groom Prince William and Catherine pose with (front row, from left) Miss Grace van Cutsem, Miss Eliza Lopes, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II, the Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Lady Louise Windsor and Master William Lowther-Pinkerton; (back row, from left) Master Tom Pettifer, Camilla, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Mr. Michael Middleton, Mrs. Michael Middleton, Mr. James Middleton and Miss Philippa Middleton.
Middle photo: Prince William and Catherine pose with (clockwise from bottom right) The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Miss Eliza Lopes, Miss Grace van Cutsem, Lady Louise Windsor, Master Tom Pettifer and Master William Lowther-Pinkerton.
This post has been corrected. See the note below for details.
A change of a dress might sound simple, but for Kate Middleton, now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, it signified the transition from commoner to royal wife.
After winning the world's favor in an Alexander McQueen masterpiece during her wedding ceremony Friday to Prince William, Kate made a quick stop at Buckingham Palace for a luncheon with Queen Elizabeth II -- then changed out of the gown into her reception look.
Another McQueen stunner, the second gown was described as "a white satin strapless evening gown with a circle skirt and diamante detailing around the waist" by People magazine.
A chic, fringed white shrug complemented the look, adding fashion-forward dash. The bride's formal hairstyle shifted to throw some dramatic waves in front, framing her face. William responded in kind by suiting up in a formal black tuxedo.
The evening program, hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, included dinner and dancing with his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; Kate's parents, Michael and Carole Middleton; best man Prince Harry; and maid of honor Pippa Middleton.
[For the record, 9:10 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., April 30: This post originally referred to Camilla, Duchess of York. She is Duchess of Cornwall. The caption referred to Catherine as Duchess of Wales. She is Duchess of Cambridge. Thanks to commenters @Janelle and @Tandy for flagging the gaffes.]
Photos: Top, after a luncheon reception and a change of clothes, a smiling Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, left, leaves Clarence House in London with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Bottom, Prince William, left, and Prince Charles round out the foursome as they head to Buckingham Palace for an evening reception hosted by the father of the groom on Friday. Credits: John Stillwell / Associated Press
Dying to see the royal wedding cake? There it is, to the left, in all its eight-tiered, fruitcake glory.
Prince William and Kate Middleton, as we knew her Friday morning, were to cut the wedding cake as the duke and duchess of Cambridge at the queen's lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace.
The wedding cake, designed by Fiona Cairns, was accompanied by a chocolate biscuit cake that William had requested made from a royal family recipe.
Garland on the cake matched architectural garland in the room, and each of the many varieties of flowers decorating the cake carried a specific meaning.
The wedding cake was made up of 17 individual fruitcakes, with 12 forming the base. The cake was then decorated with cream and white icing using the Joseph Lambeth technique. Read more about the cake and the significance of each flower here.
Photo: Kate and Wills' eight-tiered wedding cake -- made of 17 stacked fruitcakes by Fiona Cairns and her team -- awaits the newlyweds in the Picture Gallery of Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011. Credit: John Stillwell / Pool / European Pressphoto Agency
Pippa Middleton wasn't the headliner at the royal wedding Friday in London -- that honor of course went to the new Duchess of Cambridge -- but she certainly left her mark on her sister Catherine Middleton's big day. Bring on the Pippa pandemonium!
Gorgeous, athletic, confident, supportive and totally sisterly, Pippa made quite the splash at Westminster Abbey in an Alexander McQueen bridesmaid dress that echoed the bride's gown, serving as maid of honor in the eldest Middleton's union to Prince William.
So what's Pippa's deal?
The eligible 27-year-old is two years junior to the newly minted duchess, but very similar in build and poise. She's rumored to be dating the dashing Alex Loudon, a banker and former cricket player.
She's also in the family business -- parties! -- and, further courting our favor, she works on the editorial side. Pippa, full name Philippa but affectionately referred to as Pip, is the creator of the Party Times, a magazine that accompanies the Middleton enterprise Party Pieces.
Pip also dipped her toes Friday into Kardashian territory, making a splash as a female with some back assets. A Facebook page created in appreciation of her backside already had some 14,000 fans half a day after she stepped out in that bridesmaid dress.
A day before Prince William and new bride Catherine head out on their royal honeymoon, the destinations planned for the two-week vacation are still a secret. And much like the buzz around the top-secret wedding dress details, there's speculation about the royal honeymoon itinerary as well.
The newest report, out Friday from the Daily Telegraph, claims William and Kate are headed for a weeklong tour in south Jordan, despite a generally dicey atmosphere currently in parts of the Middle East. Rumored destinations include the ancient city of Petra and the Wadi Rum desert valley, the paper said.
Previously, the Daily Mail had tagged the honeymooners as headed for a "Great Barrier Reef paradise island," specifically Lizard Island in Australia. Prince Charles -- who enjoyed a three-month-long honeymoon in 1981 with Princess Diana -- reportedly spent time on the island as a young bachelor.
"I've always wanted to dive the Great Barrier Reef," William said in March on a visit to Australia. "I will have to come back –- maybe we’ll have a honeymoon in Cairns."
Wherever they're headed, whether to exotic locales or the family vacation cabin in Balmoral, Scotland (yes, a trip to that palace is possible), the newlywed duke and duchess of Cambridge will have a honeymoon-related reality check: Royal Air Force helicopter pilot William will get only two weeks off from work.
Photo: Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands has been floated as a possible royal honeymoon destination. The vastness of the queen's 50,000-acre property could shield them from the long lenses of the paparazzi. Credit: Martin Cleaver / Associated Press
The royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton wasn't merely a sensation for the eyes (The dress! Those hats! Pippa!), it was also a Twitter affair.
When crude hash tags referring to doing the nasty with a prince or queen are trending worldwide, it's safe to say the monarchy has reached new heights. (Though if either of those "I'd like to" acronyms had been applied to Prince Charles or Queen Elizabeth II -- well, that's just disturbing.)
Tweets poured in with people chiming in on just about every detail. And we lowly citizens weren't the only ones hammering out our thoughts on the lavish affair in 140 characters or less. Even the stars got up in the wee hours (for some) to indulge in the modern-day fairy tale.
From Stephen Colbert and Miley Cyrus to Kelly Rippa and wedding guest Victoria Beckham, all had something to say about the nuptials.
Click on the pic at right to read their musings in a photo gallery.
This post has been corrected. See the note below for details.
Oh, Princess Beatrice -- the hat she presumably thought was a lovely choice for Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal wedding turned out to be a royal disaster, prompting the scorn of thousands of Facebook users. Their hate wasn't necessarily for all hats, but rather specifically for the one perched Friday on Beatrice's high-profile head.
The 22-year-old took a risk donning headgear that many thought would be more appropriate for Lady Gaga, and the risky hat choice quickly backfired for her on Facebook. Witness the emergence of "Princess Beatrice's ridiculous Royal Wedding hat," a group dedicated to her headgear that had received more than 18,000 "likes" just hours after the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Has any topper since Aretha Franklin's unforgettable inauguration hat seen such biting abuse?
Beatrice, the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, stepped out at the fairy tale wedding in a sculptured ribbon topper made by London milliner Philip Treacy, a native of Ireland who trimmed the tops of dozens of guests at the wedding including Victoria Beckham, Zara Phillips and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
But when the hat-crowned Beatrice and her sister Princess Eugenie, 21, emerged from their ride, one comparison rang clear: The evil "Cinderella" stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella had arrived.
"She paired that disgusting hat with HORRIBLE make-up! The racoon eyes have to go! Not a fan of Eugenia's dress either! I'm sure these girls can consult a stylist, but maybe they should start with a mirror!" wroteTara Noe Armstrong.
"Later she sets the hoop on her hat on fire and has little tigers jump through it for the amusement of the guests at the reception," addedColleen Fagan.
"I am a fan of Philip Treacy and I loves me some crazy hats ... but Princess Beatrice's hat wasn't the best choice for a wedding -- anyone's wedding. Anything THAT high shouldn't be that solid. It is reminiscent of overdone fondant icing -- only beige. Ew...Anyway, I do respect Bea for recycling and wearing her grandma's 1961 theatre coat. {*stifled giggles*}," musedRichard Ian Tracy.
Rough -- but not as rough on the hat as the hat was on the eyes. What'd you think of Bea's headgear? Hot or hot mess? Tell us in comments.
[Updated, 3:30 p.m. April 29, 2011: At 3 p.m. PDT Friday, just 12 hours after the royal wedding ceremony began, the Beatrice-hat Facebook page had reached more than 35,000 likes and counting. Our MOG readers had quite a few pithy words to add to the conversation as well. Here's a sampling; check out comments to see them all, or add your own.
J Crowley: Pretty sure that thing's a Stargate
shirley zager: She looks like a raccoon that mated with an octopus.
EC Hudson: It wasn't any more ridiculous that anyone else's hat - and it could double as a fun wedding reception game (toss a canape thru the loop).
John: I am currently at the eye doctor hoping he can restore my sight since I was blinded by Beatrice's bloody hat !!!!
lynn Roberts: Do they live in a house without mirrors?
Rick Baker: Those Brits like them some crazy hats, which actually is kind of unique and cool but that thing looks like the hood ornament on Santa's sleigh.
Sylvia Ubych:I thought she was a dear but when I saw the hat I thought she was more like a deer!]
[For the record, 5:32 p.m. April 29: This post originally referred to Philip Treacy as a British milliner. Though Treacy operates out of London, he was born in Ireland. Thanks to commenter @carl for flagging the gaffe.]
Photos: Princess Eugenie, top left, and Princess Beatrice made a fashion statement upon arrival at Westminster Abbey for the royal wedding ceremony. Beatrice's hat almost needed an invitation of its own, right, and within hours had a Facebook page of its own. Hmm -- it didn't look so risky when the ladies, bottom left, were still in the car. Credits: Ian Langsdon / EPA, top; Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, right; Dan Kitwood / Getty Images, left.
On a royal wedding day fit for a princess -- or perhaps a duchess -- the most swoon-worthy moment wasn't necessarily found in Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Buckingham Palace kisses. Rather, it was when the groom first greeted his bride at the altar with the sweet statement: "You look beautiful."
In true fairy-tale fashion, Kate had walked down the aisle Friday morning and joined William at the Westminster Abbey altar. The prince couldn't have been any sweeter. Watch the video above at the 1:10 mark and you'll "awww" out loud.
The small but seemingly genuine gesture -- he turns to her and tells her, "You look beautiful" -- leads us to believe these two crazy kids just might stand a chance.
The romance continued, of course, as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge waved to the crowd from their carriage, smooched –- twice –- on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, and later left, smiling broadly, in a blue Aston Martin worthy of Agent 007.
Newlyweds Prince William and Kate Middleton are already in touch with their subjects' needs -- like their demands for more kiss action on the royal wedding day.
On Buckingham Palace's sweeping, front-facing balcony, the newly christened duke and duchess of Cambridge presented themselves for a much-anticipated kiss. The first one was way too brief for those in the assembled crowd, who immediately began chanting, "Kiss again! Kiss again!"
Prim and proper but not about to fumble a day of fairy-tale perfection, the pair smooched a second time, eliciting mass approval from the reported outdoor audience of 500,000. While Yankee Anderson Cooper of CNN lovingly ribbed about the first kiss being too brief, his panel mate Piers Morgan was gobsmacked by the decidedly un-royal show of affection.
Morgan, former head of the Daily Mirror, maintained that if he were still behind the editor's desk he'd make his cover headline, "Get a room!"
What did you think of the balcony kisses? If you missed the moment, watch it below.
Photo: Prince William kisses wife Kate, duchess of Cambridge, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the royal wedding in London on April, 29, 2011. Credit: Matt Dunham / Associated Press.
In a breathtaking, game-changing fashion moment, the Duchess of Cambridge -- the artist formerly known as Kate Middleton -- stole the global style spotlight Friday in her stunning wedding gown, finally revealed as the work of Sarah Burton for fashion house Alexander McQueen.
"She's really her own person, she's showing the world that she's not here to only dress for fashion, she's here to dress for herself in a very elegant and dignified manner," bridal master Vera Wang commented on CNN's wedding broadcast.
