Trees to the big day! Workmen create Kate's indoor forest at the Abbey as bride and her sister leave home, possibly for the last time

By Daily Mail Reporter


She's leaving home: Kate Middleton takes the wheel as she leaves her Berkshire family home with sister Pippa alongside her


As Kate Middleton left her family home this afternoon, in what may be the last time she will visit her homestead before her big day, gardeners were spotted preparing trees for Friday's Royal Wedding.

While Prince William's wife-to-be wheeled away from her Berkshire home alongside sister Pippa workers unloaded trees at Westminster Abbey.

With only three days to go before the Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey the 29-year-old might never return to her parents' house as Catherine Middleton - but these gardeners will do their best to create her perfect indoor forest for Friday.

On the move: Kate looked relaxed with only three days to go until her big day at Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace


Kate was heading to London for final preparations before the nuptials on Friday, which will be watched by millions around the globe.

The bride-to-be has ordered more than four tons of foliage - including eight 20ft-high trees - to recreate a lavish English country garden inside Westminster Abbey.

Under the guidance of her so-called ‘floral designer’, Shane Connolly, half a dozen English Field Maples have been installed in the historic church to create a ‘Living Avenue’ under which guests will walk to their seats.

Heave: Three gardeners lift a tree at Westminster Abbey while another worker wheels in a flowering plant

Tree's a crowd: Gardeners deliver trees to Westminster Abbey for Friday's Royal Wedding


Each of the trees have been placed in a planter personally designed by Mr Connolly and hand-crafted by artisans on the Prince of Wales’s Highgrove estate.

The entire scheme is believed to have cost up to £50,000 – not quite the ‘austerity’ wedding St James’s Palace originally had in mind.

According to royal sources, the idea was suggested by Mr Connolly as a way of mirroring the Abbey’s famous arches.

Kate fell in love with his suggestion but agreed on the environmentally-friendly proviso that the trees were seasonal and could be re-planted.

Knock, knock, coming in: A fork-lift truck helps manoeuvre a maple tree into Westminster Abbey

Standing tall: A group of gardeners prepare to move a tall tree into Westminster Abbey

Bloomin' marvellous: Two gardeners wheel another tree into Westminster Abbey


Meanwhile Kate's fiancé, who had spent Easter Sunday with his future in-laws, was spotted leaving the Middleton’s family home earlier today.

William has been eager to spend as much time as possible with his future bride’s family before his hectic pre-wedding rehearsals tie him up for the rest of the week.

So he decided to pop in once more ahead of his Friday wedding with Kate and was spotted driving off after the visit.

On Sunday, a fleet of three Royal Protection Squad cars accompanied William as he pulled up into the driveway of the family’s Bucklebury mansion.

High trees in: Gardeners dip an English maple tree so it can fit through the entrance of Westminster


Say trees: Photographers snap away as more maple trees are wheeled in to the old abbey and workers get ready to set down the maple tree in order to make Kate's English country garden look perfect


Steady as she goes: Workers put up an English field Maple tree in preparation for the Royal wedding in Westminster Abbey

Living avenue: Bride-to-be Kate has ordered more than four tons of foliage - including eight 20ft-high trees - to recreate a lavish English country garden inside Westminster Abbey


He was there for a special Easter Sunday lunch with all the trimmings and arrived with a mystery brown package, which he personally delivered to his bride-to-be Kate Middleton.

Newsmen who gathered outside the Middletons' home speculated on whether it was a special wedding gift - or just a box of chocolate Easter eggs for Kate, her mother and sister.

Prince William was understood to have spent four hours with his future in-laws, enjoying the family lunch.

Smiling: Kate did not shy away from grinning at the waiting paparazzi

Prince William was spotted leaving Kate Middleton's family home in Berkshire today, for a quick visit before being tied up with wedding rehearsals


Sitting out of view in the offside rear passenger seat of a bullet-proof Range Rover, with two minders in the front and four others travelling in cars to the front and rear, the Prince was understood to have enjoyed his afternoon in the countryside.

Thames Valley Police officers had been sent to Bucklebury earlier in the morning, as part of the force's contract to provide protection to Kate when she is at home.

Security was beefed up several hours later, with the arrival of armed police and plain-clothed detectives from Scotland Yard's Royal Protection Squad and within 30 minutes Kate's groom-to-be had arrived.

Prince William and his bride-to-be Kate Middleton will be busy with wedding rehearsals and preparations for the rest of the week

Home sweet home: Security has been stepped up in the Thames Valley village of Bucklebury where Kate's family lives


The Middleton family and William, 28, were thought to have chatted animatedly over lunch, discussing everything from village preparations for the wedding to how
William and Kate would be feeling as they walked down the aisle together after the service at Westminster Abbey.

The mystery box was carried into the house but after that, its contents remained unknown.

The Prince, with two armed guards, left Bucklebury in a Range Rover at 4pm, leaving Kate, her mum Carole, dad Michael sister Pippa and brother James, to do the washing up.

Practice makes perfect: The London Chamber Orchestra, who will play at Westminster Abbey for the Royal Wedding service on Friday, were rehearsing at St John's Church

Flower power: The Middleton family's florist, Emma Sampson, shown at Windsor Great Park - where many of the flowers and plants for Westminster Abbey will be sourced - with Shane Connolly, the Royal Wedding florist

High fliers: RAF personnel practise during the lining rehearsal for the Royal Wedding at RAF Holton base at Buckinghamshire

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was spotted leaving Jo Hansford hair salon in London's Mayfair just days before the big day


Royal protection officers sent from Buckingham Palace and Scotland Yard left the family home soon after, leaving officers from Thames Valley Police to keep guard near the front drive of the five-bedroom property for the rest of the day and night.

It was understood Kate was spending Easter Monday with her family less than a week before the Royal wedding on Friday, April 29.

An insider said: ‘Kate will be here (at her family home) until tomorrow, then she's gone for the rest of the week.’

A full music rehearsal will take place at the Abbey tomorrow, with a dress rehearsal for clergy and broadcasters on Thursday.

The Duchess of Cornwall was no doubt having a consultation to decide how to wear her hair for Friday's ceremony

The salon describes itself as 'the leading hair colour salon in the UK, specialising in the creation of perfect colour and styling'

All smiles: Chelsy Davy is spotted shopping in Chelsea ahead of Friday's Royal Wedding


At some stage the Prince and Miss Middleton are also expected to head to the venue for final preparations.

Meanwhile, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was seen today leaving Jo Hansford Hairdressers in London’s Mayfair.

The salon describes itself as ‘the leading hair colour salon in the UK, specialising in the creation of perfect colour and styling’.

Camilla was no doubt making sure her bouffant was going to look perfect for the big day.

Royalists: Many Royal Wedding fans were covered cap-a-pie in Union Jacks - and some of the supporters were interviewed by the world media as they set up camp outside Westminster Abbey

Happy campers: A woman inflates her air bed as she sets up a tent outside Westminster Abbey as she awaits the Royal Wedding


As the excitement about the Royal Wedding increased, a number of die-hard Royalists set up camp outside Westminster Abbey.

Tents were pitched, sleeping airbags pumped up, and camping seats snapped upright as fans settled in for the wedding... three days before Kate and William are due at the famous London landmark.



source:dailymail

The childhood home of Kate Middleton in Jordan

By FAY SCHLESINGER

Family snap: Kate, aged four, with her father Mike and sister Pippa, right, in Jerash, Jordan


It was a far from palatial place for a future princess to live.

In the shadow of a high-rise block, this is the villa where Kate Middleton spent her formative childhood years.

The shabby one-storey building was home for more than two years from May 1984, when her father Mike got a job as a British Airways manager and moved his family from Berkshire to the Jordanian capital Amman.


Revealed: The Mail has tracked down the modest three-bedroom house which the Middletons lived in Amman, Jordan, from May 1984 to Sept 1986


The Middletons' years in the Middle East remained secret until last month, when Kate's official biography was released by St James's Palace.

A picture of her and sister Pippa – both tanned and fair-haired thanks to the sun – showed them exploring ancient Greco-Roman ruins with their father during a day trip to Jerash, near the border with Syria.

Now the Mail has tracked down the modest three-bedroom house which Mr Middleton, then 33, and his wife Carole, 29, rented for £300 a month with two-year-old Kate and Pippa, eight months.


At band camp: Kate's mother Carole Middleton (circled) in her Featherstone school band in 1974


For Carole Middleton used to play the cornet in a brass band.
She was a 17-year-old sixth former when she joined the ensemble at Featherstone County School in Southall, Middlesex. She left the school in 1973 to join British Airways.

Mrs Middleton, who had quit work as a BA air hostess to start a family, would prepare meals in the simple kitchen for her husband's colleagues, before eating al fresco on the veranda.

When Kate turned three, she started spending mornings at the nearby Al-Sahera nursery and learned to recite rhymes in Arabic.

Mr Middleton worked long shifts at Amman Airport, where he was in charge of BA's flights to and from London. To relax, he played tennis at the British Embassy near his home.

'Kate came for lessons when she was about ten or 11 until she was 13,' said Mr Nicholls, 47.

'I don't think anyone would say she was going to be a concert pianist but she was good at it. She always did everything she was told.'


source: dailymail

Will it rain on William and Kate's big day? Forecasters predict heavy showers in London for Royal Wedding

By Daily Mail Reporter


-Wedding day will be 'warmer than average', say forecasters
-Supermarket sales soar after rush for barbecue foods

Final preparations: Regent Street is awash with Union Jack flags ready for the Royal Wedding this Friday - but the weather forecast is threatening to put a dampener on the excitement


The Royal Wedding could be hit by heavy showers, forecasters have said as cloudier and cooler weather spread across the country today after a scorching Easter Sunday.

After an Easter weekend of sunny weather, downpours could hit both central London and Kate Middleton's hometown of Bucklebury, Berkshire on Friday.

Today London Regent's Street was awash with Union Jacks ready for Friday's celebration. With everything in place Prince William and his bride-to-be will be hoping they avoid a downpour.


However, forecasters are predicting that Friday will be warm - even if it is wet.

Helen Rossington, a senior forecaster at MeteoGroup, said: 'At the moment, it is looking like temperatures will probably be a little bit above average (on the day) and there is a risk of heavy showers.

'Temperatures will probably be somewhere in the high teens but it is difficult to pin down so far ahead.

'The weather is always changing, there is that risk that we are seeing on the current outlook that we have at the moment, but nearer the time the models might change a little bit.'

Tom Morgan, a spokesman for the Met Office, warned that the Royal Wedding day would feel much cooler in England and Wales than this bank holiday weekend.

Final preparations: William and Kate will be hoping they miss the showers when they marry at Westminster Abbey on April 29


'Generally in the London area there will be fairly cloudy skies with occasional brighter spells, but also a risk of showery rain at times,' he said.

'A brisk north-easterly wind will make it feel much chillier than of late.'

If bookmakers have an inside track on Friday's weather, all indications are that the couple will be able to take their first journey as man and wife in an open carriage.

The latest odds suggest that London will stay dry - at least for the duration of the ceremony.

Bookmaker William Hills is offering 1/5 odds that it will not be raining when the Royal party arrives at the Abbey. They are also offering 1/10 odds that the newlyweds will be able to return to Buckingham Palace after the service in an open carriage.

'The latest forecast suggests that the rain should stay away on the big day, at least until after the service,' said Hill's Royal spokesman Rupert Adams

And the rest of the country should enjoy much better weather as hundreds of street parties take place.

Western England, western Wales, the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland were forecast to enjoy a 'bright' day.

'All of these areas look like they are going to see a bright day with decent sunny spells and pleasant warm temperatures into the mid to high teens,' Mr Morgan said.

Bank holiday sun: People flock to the beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in Cleveland as the warm weather continues today - before many return to work tomorrow

Unseasonal weather: People enjoying the sun and the sea in Cleveland today - but it is expected to be cooler from tomorrow


If it rains, Prince William and Kate Middleton will leave Westminster Abbey in the Glass Coach, rather than the open-top 1902 State Landau.

The forecast comes after much of the country basked in a heatwave this bank holiday with predictions that this month will beat the 2007 record as the warmest ever April.

Many areas of London reached highs of 27C (around 82F) on Saturday with Wisley, Surrey, registering 27.8C.

Yesterday saw cooler weather with a top temperature of 25.3C (around 78F) in Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, and a maximum of 24C (75F) across London.

A weak cold front over Scotland and Northern Ireland will push south today bringing cloud and some drizzle to areas such as the Pennines and mountain areas of Wales.

Temperatures will rise to a high of 22C (72F) in London and the south of the country, and between 11C and 14C (52F to 57F) in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Lindsay Dove, forecaster with MeteoGroup, said: 'Today will be noticeably cooler, across the south it will be maybe two or three degrees cooler than yesterday.

Busy bank holiday: Sonic, Bobby and Dora prepare to take daytrippers along the beach in Saltburn-by-the-Sea today. Yesterday was the warmest Easter Sunday for more than 60 years

Warm weather: Three children enjoy rides on donkeys along the beach as the country continues to bask in summer-like temperatures... and on Friday there's another Bank Holiday


'Tomorrow, it will be much cooler again.

'You are looking tomorrow at a maximum of 18C in London (64F) with Scotland and Northern Ireland looking at the same temperatures of 11C to 14C. There is going to be a breeze across the South East which is what will make it feel much cooler.'

The soaring weather last week was welcomed by retailers who reported an increase in sales, which they put down to the heat.

Supermarket chain Waitrose reported that sales on Saturday had reached more than £114.7m, up 15 per cent on last year. The store said that demand was driven by sales of barbecue foods, which had risen by 25 per cent compared with the same period in 2010.

Around ten million people took advantage of the unusual combination of good weather and a Bank Holiday weekend to take in a domestic break, according to Visit England.

In Bournemouth, 90,000 ice creams were sold over the weekend, and every one of the resort’s 16,000 hotel rooms was booked.

Changing seasons: Just days ago this field in Hambledon, Hampshire, was covered in a yellow carpet of flowers - but the view has been rapidly changed by the hot weather and the same field is now a sea of dandelion clocks

All change: Days ago the same field in Hambledon was a sea of dandelions. Yesterday was the hottest Easter Sunday for more than 60 years

The same field is now attracting pheasants scratching around for seed

Sunrise on a new dawn: Bluebells in Micheldever Wood, near Basingstoke, as the sun makes its way into the sky on Easter morning


source:dailymail

William & Kate TV movie is panned by viewers after Channel 5 premiere

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Panned: William & Kate. starring Camilla Luddington and Nico Evers-Swindell, was panned by viewers after its Channel 5 premiere


It's the type of love story that has kept the public rapt for centuries.

But despite the makers of the Prince William and Kate Middleton TV movie hoping they had a sure-fire hit on their hands, the movie has flopped.

And, after the William & Kate premiere on Channel 5 today, viewers took to Twitter in their thousands to comment on just how bad the movie, starring Nico Evers-Swindell and Camilla Luddington as the royal pair, was.


On set: The film has received terrible reviews from America and the UK


One viewer tweeted: 'Have just seen 1 second of Will and Kate the movie & can confirm it is the most excruciating & awful thing that mankind has ever created.'

MailOnline's Lauren Paxman called the film 'truly terrible', adding that it is, 'a shoddily cast, poorly executed, badly edited and surprisingly boring account of Kate’s route to royalty.'


The original: One viewer said Prince William, seen here with Kate Middleton, would have cringed if he'd watched the movie

However, while the majority of viewers despaired over the quality of the film, others wrote on Twitter they had enjoyed the 110 minute movie because it 'was so bad, it was good'.


William & Kate is out now on DVD.




source :dailymail

A taste of things to come? Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are all dressed up at Easter Sunday matins ahead of the wedding

By Daily Mail Reporter


All dressed up: Eugenie and Beatrice looked stylish as they joined other royals, including the Countess of Wessex and the Princess Royal, for the Easter Sunday Matins


While all eyes will be on Prince William and Kate Middleton at Friday's royal wedding, other members of the royal family will also attract attention for their outfits.

And his cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, looked as if they were getting in some early practice in the style stakes when they joined their royal relatives at this year's Easter Sunday matins service.

The sisters looked as if they were on their way to a wedding in their short, smart dresses, high heels and hats as they walked to the service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Hat's the way: Both Beatrice and Eugenie chose unusual headgear to go with their dresses for the service


Beatrice, 22, wore a light brown peplum style dress for the service, which she
teamed with a patterned bag, dark brown shoes and an offbeat beige hat which rested just above her forehead.

Her younger sister Eugenie, 20, opted for a more conventional white dress and cream jacket, which she wore with nude heels and a white hat.

However their headgear was almost upstaged by that of the Countess of Wessex, who offset a simple navy frock with a huge blue fascinator style hat.

Princes join the ranks: Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, joined the royal line-up at the service in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle,

Family affair: The princesses arrived at the church with their father Prince Andrew


The princesses joined other royals including their father Prince Andrew, uncle Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex, as well as the Princess Royal and her husband Tim Lawrence at the service.

The Queen - in a pale blue dress and matching hat - and Prince Philip were also in attendance at the chapel, in what is one of the last formal royal engagements before Friday's wedding.

Elegant: The Queen wore a smart pale blue coat and matching hat for the service


Meanwhile the Archbishop of Canterbury has said in his Easter Sermon that true happiness in life comes from 'personal and communal fulfilment' rather than the narrow pursuit of material goals,

Dr Rowan Williams spoke of the joy which could be achieved by having an outward focus, fostering relationships with others and the world around them.

Family get-together: Princes Andrew and Edward were at the service, as was the Princess Royal and her husband Tim Lawrence

Well-accessorised: Princess Beatrice teamed her brown dress with a brightly printed bag and dark brown heels


He said, 'It seems that, just as we can't find fulfilment in just loving ourselves, so we can't just generate happiness for ourselves. It comes from outside, from relationships, environment, the unexpected stimulus of beauty - but not from any programme that we can identify.'

He also referred to the impending nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the opportunity for people to join in their celebration.

He said: 'It's nice and entirely appropriate that we are being encouraged to some public displays of shared celebration next Friday: let a thousand street parties blossom!'

Floral gifts: The Queen was delighted to receive bouquets from children as she and Prince Philip left the service


Now for the wedding: The service was one of the last formal royal engagements before Friday's nuptials


source:dailymail