Oh, wow.
Indeed.
On a day full of images of great happiness,
this was the happiest.
The kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, the reason
so many tens of thousands had flocked to the mall.
And just in case anyone had missed it,
Prince William suggests one more kiss.
The pilots of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
may have arrived just too late to see it, but the cameras of the world did not.
On the most famous balcony on Earth, they and their families
had given the billions watching the picture they wanted.
No wonder the nation's new
Princess could look back with such pleasure
at a perfect day.
Brother officers, in the dress
uniforms of the Irish Guards and Prince Harry's own regiment the Blues and Royals,
were at the Abbey in time to chat with guests, greet their family
and await the bride.
It was her prerogative to be a little late.
But in the event, she kept perfectly to time, keeping
no one waiting for the first sight of that dress.
The five minute
journey to the Abbey gave tantalising glimpses of the veiled bride.
Her tiara given to the Queen Mother by King
George the VI and now lent to her by the Queen.
Something borrowed.
Just ahead of her
sister and maid of honour, Pippa, guiding two tiny bridesmaids
through the biggest day of their young lives.
Not even the ten bells of Westminster Abbey could drown out the cheers
as the bride stepped out of her car.
The groom and his best man were brought back
from the relative seclusion of a side chapel to be at the altar
as his bride's procession began.
Sir Hubert Parry's anthem 'I was glad'
filling the Abbey to its vaulted ceilings.
Prince William still didn't want to look.
It was for his brother to keep look out
and whisper commentary.
And when he did look, it
didn't take a lip reader to see his reaction.
'Your beautiful,' he said.
The first hymn was an opportunity
for her father, Michael, to lift her veil
to reveal the happiest of smiles.
- I William Arthur Philip Louis.
I William Arthur Philip Louis.
- Take thee Catherine Elizabeth.
Take thee Catherine Elizabeth.
- To my wedded wife.
To my wedded wife.
- To have and to hold from this day forward.
To have and to hold from this day forward.
- For better or for worse.
For better or for worse.
- For richer, for poorer.
For richer, for poorer.
- In sickness and in health.
In sickness and in health.
- To love and to cherish.
To love and cherish.
- Till death us do part.
Till death us do part.
- According to God's Holy Law.
According to God's Holy law.
- And thereto I give thee my troth.
And thereto I give thee my troth.
- I Catherine Elizabeth.
I Catherine Elizabeth.
- Take thee William Arthur Philip Louis.
Take thee William Arthur Philip Louis.
- To my wedded husband.
To my wedded husband.
- To have and to hold from this day forward.
To have and to hold from this day forward.
- For better, for worse.
For better, for worse.
- For richer, for poorer.
For richer for poorer.
- In sickness and in health.
In sickness and in health.
- To love and to cherish.
To love and cherish.
- Till death do us do part.
Till death us do part.
- According to God's Holy Law.
According to God's Holy Law.
- And thereto I give thee my troth.
And thereto I give thee my troth.
- With this ring, I thee wed.
With this ring, I thee wed.
- With my body, I thee honor.
With my body, I the honor.
- And all my worldly goods with thee I share.
-And all my worldly god, with thee I share.
- In the name of the father.
In the name of the father.
- And of the Son.
And of the Son.
- And of the Holy Ghost.
And of the Holy Ghost.
- Amen.
Amen.
Those whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder.
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.
There was at all times a naturalness and a warmth between them
most visible when the Bishop of London spoke to them directly during his address.
You have both made your decision today.
I will.
He finished by reading a prayer
that they had written for their wedding day.
God, our Father.
We thank him for our families,
for the love that we share,
and for the joy of our marriage.
In the business 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 Jesus Christ and we all say
amen.
To the sounds of Sir William Walton's 'Crown Imperial', they returned
from signing the registers in St Edward's Chapel to perform
a final official duty.
A smile and a small nod of regal approval
for her new granddaughter-in-law.
And approval there was plenty, as the new Princess
emerged into spring sunshine on the steps of the Abbey.
The crowds in Hyde Park could only see her on giant screens,
but that didn't deter them one bit.
As they settle into the open top carriage,
she asks her new husband, 'Are you happy?'
And seems pleased with his response.
An estimated one million people were lining the processional route,
many of them got here days ago, and this is what they came for.
As the carriage passed under
Horse Guards Arch, they were hand in hand.
The band struck up the national anthem, as they drove through the Palace gates.
He saluted smartly.
She bowed her head.
Their day was not done.
Far from it.
Helped from the carriage by her Prince.
The balcony appearance.
Lunch for 600, a party that is still going on
late into this evening, still lay ahead.
A few minutes later, the Queen herself gave her verdict on the day,
telling her Crown Equerry,
'It was amazing.'
And there was to be a final treat for those who still thronged
the gates of the Palace in mid-afternoon, the going away.
But no carriage or Rolls Royce.
It was his father's Aston Martin.
It has been their day, but they've taken such obvious delight
in sharing their happiness with everyone who has wanted to be part of it.
And in doing so, they've put a broad smile on the face of the nation.