William weds Kate, attracts nearly 2 Billion TV viewers

Prince William, second in line to the British throne, Friday married long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton at the historic Westminster Abbey, an event that was watched by nearly two billion TV viewers.

Prince William looked dashing in a red tunic with a blue sash, the uniform of an Irish Guards colonel - his most senior honorary appointment. The bride looked enchanting in a long Chantilly lace-sleeved gown with a train and a tiara borrowed from her grandmother-in-law Queen Elizabeth.

The lofty Westminster Abbey, which has seen history unfold over the centuries, reverberated to the sound of hymns. This was also the place of the funeral service of William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales, on Sep 6, 1997. It has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the final resting place of 17 monarchs.

The Archbishop of Canterbury conducted the solemn wedding ceremony, a grand affair with 1,900 guests, including some 50 foreign heads of state.

Crowds had begun to gather in central London from early morning and thousands camped overnight to grab the best location to see the royal couple - an event that took many back 30 years to when William's parents, Prince Charles and the late Diana, got married.

The marriage was the culmination of eight long and sometimes lonely years of waiting for Kate.

Unlike the Queen, who promised to obey Prince Philip when they married in 1947, Kate pledged only to 'love, comfort, honour and keep'.

Prince William and Kate Middleton have now become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

As soon as the ceremony got over, celebrations broke out all over Britain with over 5,000 street parties, including one hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron at Downing Street.