Surprising Details Revealed About Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Wedding
A new book by royal biographer Robert Jobson unveils surprising details about the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William on April 29, 2011, was one of the most-watched royal events in history. Millions of people worldwide tuned in to see the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and the iconic balcony kiss at Buckingham Palace. However, there were moments on that day that the public never saw.
While 1,900 guests attended the ceremony, the number of attendees for the two subsequent receptions was much smaller. The first reception, hosted by Queen Elizabeth, included 650 guests, while the second, hosted by Prince Charles (now King Charles), was an intimate affair with just 300 guests. The smaller reception took place later at Buckingham Palace.
In his new book, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Robert Jobson reveals that one guest described the wedding as “the most magical party you could ever imagine.”
Jobson writes that only William and Kate’s closest friends were invited to this exclusive gathering, which featured a live band led by Ellie Goulding, one of the couple’s favorite artists. Goulding performed Elton John’s Your Song as William and Kate shared their first dance.
Following her rendition of Your Song, Goulding entertained the guests with a few more songs, including her hit Starry Eyed and a cover of The Killers’ Mr. Brightside, which is a favorite of William and Kate. The newlyweds were also seen singing and dancing to She Loves You by The Beatles before a spectacular fireworks display lit up the sky. “William and Kate were in the center of it all, dancing with pure joy. They stayed until the very end of the party,” a guest told People in 2011.
One particularly surprising moment, as revealed by Jobson, occurred when “William and Kate were holding hands on the dance floor, beaming with happiness, when suddenly the opening notes of You’re the One That I Want from the musical Grease began to play. William and Catherine started dancing, exchanging glances, and mouthing the lyrics just like the characters Danny and Sandy. The entire room erupted in excitement.”
As the night continued, guests were led to the beautiful lawns behind the palace for another surprise. There, a Fiat car decorated with “balloons and left with the top down” awaited the newlyweds. “They got into the car and drove along the gravel paths as fireworks exploded for two minutes,” one guest recounted.
Prince William, Kate, and their guests partied until 3 a.m., according to Jobson.
