Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles
Encyclopedia
The wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla Parker Bowles took place in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, on 9 April 2005. The ceremony, conducted in the presence of the couples' families, was followed by a Church of England
service of blessing at St George's Chapel. The groom's parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
, did not attend the civil wedding ceremony but were present at the service of blessing and held a reception for the couple in Windsor Castle
afterwards.
The marriage culminated the controversial romantic relationship between Prince Charles
and Camilla Parker Bowles, who has since been styled, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. Charles, 56, and Camilla, 57, were both married once before their union, raising memories of the Edward VIII abdication crisis
of 1936, which was sparked by the then-king's desire to marry a divorcee. The proceedings of the Service of Prayer and Dedication were covered by the BBC
network. Notable figures in attendance included international political, religious, and royal figures, and various celebrities.
would marry on 8 April 2005, at Windsor Castle
with a civil service followed by religious prayer. Mrs Parker Bowles' engagement ring
is a Windsor family heirloom that belonged to the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
. With a 1920s platinum
setting, it is composed of a square-cut central diamond flanked by six diamond baguettes. After the engagement announcement, the couple were congratulated by Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, indicating that consent had been granted under the Royal Marriages Act 1772
. The Archbishop of Canterbury
, Dr Rowan Williams
; the Prime Minister
, Tony Blair
; the Leader of the Opposition, Michael Howard
; the Leader of the Liberal Democrats
, Charles Kennedy
; the Leader of the House of Commons
, Peter Hain
; and the Prime Ministers of the other Commonwealth Realms also added their congratulations.
in England. Dr. Stephen Chetney, a Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford
questioned whether Charles and Camilla could marry in a civil ceremony, as the Royal Family
was specifically excluded from the law which instituted civil marriages in England (Marriage Act 1836
). On 14 February the BBC
's Panorama
uncovered documents of official legislative research advice dating from 1956 and 1964, which stated that it was not lawful for members of the royal family to marry in a civil ceremony in England and Wales
, though it would be lawful in Scotland
. These documents' statements were dismissed by Clarence House
on the advice of four unnamed legal experts. These experts' views that the 1836 Act had been repealed by the Marriage Act 1949
were upheld by the British Government. Acting through Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, the sitting government issued a written statement published by the House of Lords in their debate record:
Eleven objections were received by the Cirencester and Chippenham register offices but were all rejected by the Registrar General
(and National Statistician
) Len Cook
who determined that a civil marriage would in fact be valid, the Human Rights Act 1998
apparently superseding any previously enacted legislation barring members of the royal family from civil marriages. There were calls for a short piece of legislation to remove all doubt, but no legislation was in fact introduced. In fact the matter was never seriously in issue, however, as it is a truism of English law that a statute is pro tanto repealed by a subsequent statute to the extent of any inconsistency, whether or not the prior inconsistent statute is expressly repealed for that or any purpose. (To what extent such an inconsistency exists however was itself a point of contention.)
announced the marriage's change of venue from Windsor Castle to the Windsor Guildhall, immediately outside the walls of the castle. This substitution came about when it was discovered that the legal requirements for licensing the royal castle for civil weddings would require opening it up to other prospective couples for at least three years. On 22 February, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen would not attend the wedding ceremony, but would attend the church blessing and host the reception afterwards. The reason stated by the palace was the couple wanted to keep the occasion low key. On 4 April, it was announced that the wedding would be postponed 24 hours until 9 April, so that the Prince of Wales could attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II
as the representative of the Queen. The postponement also allowed some of the dignitaries that were invited to the funeral to attend the wedding. In keeping with tradition, the Prince of Wales spent the night apart from his bride-to-be at Highgrove House, his country mansion in Gloucestershire
, with his sons Princes William and Harry.
) on 9 April 2005. Crowds had gathered on the streets since dawn ahead of the service. A civil ceremony was planned because of controversy within the Church of England
regarding the remarriage of divorcees (see, for example, Edward VIII abdication crisis
). It should be noted that there would have been no impediment to Charles re-marrying in the Church of England to a non-divorcee since his ex-wife's death
back in 1997 had made him a widower according to Church law. The problem was that his bride's ex-husband was still alive.
The ceremony was attended by all the senior royals apart from the Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. When Princess Anne
married Timothy Laurence
after having divorced Mark Phillips
, she chose to do so in the Church of Scotland
. Remarriage of divorcees is less controversial in the Church of Scotland, and the sovereign has no constitutional role in the governance of the Church. The Prince of Wales and his bride did not elect this course of action.
The arrival of the Royal guests in a locally-hired mini-bus, was uprecendented. After the wedding, the couple's witnesses were Prince William of Wales and the bride's son, Tom Parker Bowles
. In keeping with tradition, the couple's wedding rings are crafted from 22 carat Welsh gold
from the Clogau
St David's mine in Bontddu
. The tradition of using Clogau Gold within the wedding rings of The Royal Family dates back to 1923. The design of the wedding rings is by Wartski
, a London
jeweller that has held the Royal Warrant
to The Prince of Wales since 1979. The Prince wears his on the small finger of his left hand. For the wedding, the duchess wore a cream-coloured dress and coat
with a wide-brimmed cream-coloured hat. For the blessing afterward, she wore a floor-length embroidered pale blue and gold coat over a matching chiffon gown and a dramatic spray of golden feathers in her hair. Both ensembles were by Antonia Robinson and Anna Valentine, London designers who work under the name Robinson Valentine; both hats were made by the Irish milliner Philip Treacy
.
The wedding was followed by a televised blessing at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, led by The Archbishop of Canterbury
.
The wedding cake was made by Mrs Blunden, owner of the "Sophisticake" cake shop in Woodhall Spa
, Lincolnshire. In April 2005 a hotelier paid £215 in an internet auction for a slice of cake.
and other commemorative items faced a late rush to change the dates on their products after the delayed wedding date became known. However, sales of those with the incorrect date soared when people began to think that they would become collectors items. For the wedding day, the theme park Alton Towers
changed the name of their rollercoaster "Rita: Queen of Speed" to "Camilla: Queen of Speed". Television commercials and signs around the park were all updated to reflect this change.
The BBC
gained the rights to broadcast the event where there was live coverage of the Service of Prayer and Dedication from St George's Chapel. On BBC One
Huw Edwards
and Sophie Raworth
presented the live coverage of the event and fashion advisors Trinny Woodall
and Susannah Constantine
contributed as the contemporary social commentators. The BBC had around thirty cameras at the event and shared footage with broadcasters throughout the world. BBC News 24
also had coverage during the day with Jane Hill
and Simon McCoy
reporting live from Windsor
.
Three weddings had already been booked for the day at the Guildhall and were not displaced by the Royal engagement. Ms Grace Beesley was first to follow in her marriage to Mr. Fraser Moores. They were followed by Major Thomas Nigel Crapper of the Royal Signals who married Ms Deborah Jane Biltcliffe and Mr James Hooper of St Albans, Herts, who married Ms Nadine Hopkins
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
service of blessing at St George's Chapel. The groom's parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, did not attend the civil wedding ceremony but were present at the service of blessing and held a reception for the couple in Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
afterwards.
The marriage culminated the controversial romantic relationship between Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and Camilla Parker Bowles, who has since been styled, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. Charles, 56, and Camilla, 57, were both married once before their union, raising memories of the Edward VIII abdication crisis
Edward VIII abdication crisis
In 1936, a constitutional crisis in the British Empire was caused by King-Emperor Edward VIII's proposal to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite....
of 1936, which was sparked by the then-king's desire to marry a divorcee. The proceedings of the Service of Prayer and Dedication were covered by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
network. Notable figures in attendance included international political, religious, and royal figures, and various celebrities.
Engagement and preparations
On 10 February 2005, it was announced that Camilla Parker Bowles and the Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
would marry on 8 April 2005, at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
with a civil service followed by religious prayer. Mrs Parker Bowles' engagement ring
Engagement ring
An engagement ring is a ring indicating that the person wearing it is engaged to be married, especially in Western cultures. In the United Kingdom, Ireland and North America, engagement rings are traditionally worn only by women, and rings can feature diamonds or other gemstones. In other cultures...
is a Windsor family heirloom that belonged to the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
. With a 1920s platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
setting, it is composed of a square-cut central diamond flanked by six diamond baguettes. After the engagement announcement, the couple were congratulated by Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, indicating that consent had been granted under the Royal Marriages Act 1772
Royal Marriages Act 1772
The Royal Marriages Act 1772 is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which prescribes the conditions under which members of the British Royal Family may contract a valid marriage, in order to guard against marriages that could diminish the status of the Royal House...
. The Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, Dr Rowan Williams
Rowan Williams
Rowan Douglas Williams FRSL, FBA, FLSW is an Anglican bishop, poet and theologian. He is the 104th and current Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and Primate of All England, offices he has held since early 2003.Williams was previously Bishop of Monmouth and...
; the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
; the Leader of the Opposition, Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
; the Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, Charles Kennedy
Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
; the Leader of the House of Commons
Leader of the House of Commons
The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...
, Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
; and the Prime Ministers of the other Commonwealth Realms also added their congratulations.
Questioning a royal civil wedding
The Prince was the first member of the royal family to marry in a civil ceremonyCivil marriage
Civil marriage is marriage performed by a government official and not a religious organization.-History:Every country maintaining a population registry of its residents keeps track of marital status, and most countries believe that it is their responsibility to register married couples. Most...
in England. Dr. Stephen Chetney, a Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
questioned whether Charles and Camilla could marry in a civil ceremony, as the Royal Family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
was specifically excluded from the law which instituted civil marriages in England (Marriage Act 1836
Marriage Act 1836
The Act for Marriages in England 1836 6&7WmIV, c85 was an act that legalised the concept of civil marriage into England and Wales from 1 January 1837....
). On 14 February the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
uncovered documents of official legislative research advice dating from 1956 and 1964, which stated that it was not lawful for members of the royal family to marry in a civil ceremony in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, though it would be lawful in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. These documents' statements were dismissed by Clarence House
Clarence House
Clarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall, in the City of Westminster. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is since then the official residence of The...
on the advice of four unnamed legal experts. These experts' views that the 1836 Act had been repealed by the Marriage Act 1949
Marriage Act 1949
The Marriage Act 1949 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom regulating marriages in England and Wales. The act abolished marriages for those under 16 years of age in England and Wales....
were upheld by the British Government. Acting through Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, the sitting government issued a written statement published by the House of Lords in their debate record:
Quote from "Royal Marriage", Lords Hansard, 24 Feb 2005: "The Government are satisfied that it is lawful for the Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles, like anyone else, to marry by a civil ceremony in accordance with Part III of the Marriage Act 1949. ¶ Civil marriages were introduced in England, by the Marriage Act 1836. Section 45 said that the Act "... shall not extend to the marriage of any of the Royal Family". ¶ But the provisions on civil marriage in the 1836 Act were repealed by the Marriage Act 1949. All remaining parts of the 1836 Act, including Section 45, were repealed by the Registration Service Act 1953. No part of the 1836 Act therefore remains on the statute book. ¶... We are aware that different views have been taken in the past; but we consider that these were overcautious, and we are clear that the interpretation I have set out in this Statement is correct. We also note that the Human Rights Act has since 2000 required legislation to be interpreted wherever possible in a way that is compatible with the right to marry (Article 12) and with the right to enjoy that right without discrimination (Article 14). This, in our view, puts the modern meaning of the 1949 Act beyond doubt."
Eleven objections were received by the Cirencester and Chippenham register offices but were all rejected by the Registrar General
Registrar General
General Register Office, in England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and many Commonwealth nations, is the government agency responsible for civil registration - the recording of vital records such as births, deaths, and marriages...
(and National Statistician
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
) Len Cook
Len Cook
Leonard Warren "Len" Cook, CBE is a professional statistician who was Government Statistician of New Zealand from 1992 to 2000 and National Statistician and Director of the Office for National Statistics, United Kingdom, and Registrar General for England and Wales from 2000 to...
who determined that a civil marriage would in fact be valid, the Human Rights Act 1998
Human Rights Act 1998
The Human Rights Act 1998 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which received Royal Assent on 9 November 1998, and mostly came into force on 2 October 2000. Its aim is to "give further effect" in UK law to the rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights...
apparently superseding any previously enacted legislation barring members of the royal family from civil marriages. There were calls for a short piece of legislation to remove all doubt, but no legislation was in fact introduced. In fact the matter was never seriously in issue, however, as it is a truism of English law that a statute is pro tanto repealed by a subsequent statute to the extent of any inconsistency, whether or not the prior inconsistent statute is expressly repealed for that or any purpose. (To what extent such an inconsistency exists however was itself a point of contention.)
Change of the wedding location and date
On 17 February, Clarence HouseClarence House
Clarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall, in the City of Westminster. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is since then the official residence of The...
announced the marriage's change of venue from Windsor Castle to the Windsor Guildhall, immediately outside the walls of the castle. This substitution came about when it was discovered that the legal requirements for licensing the royal castle for civil weddings would require opening it up to other prospective couples for at least three years. On 22 February, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen would not attend the wedding ceremony, but would attend the church blessing and host the reception afterwards. The reason stated by the palace was the couple wanted to keep the occasion low key. On 4 April, it was announced that the wedding would be postponed 24 hours until 9 April, so that the Prince of Wales could attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II
Funeral of Pope John Paul II
The funeral of Pope John Paul II was held on 8 April 2005, six days after his death on 2 April. The funeral was followed by the novemdiales devotional in which the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches observe nine days of mourning....
as the representative of the Queen. The postponement also allowed some of the dignitaries that were invited to the funeral to attend the wedding. In keeping with tradition, the Prince of Wales spent the night apart from his bride-to-be at Highgrove House, his country mansion in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, with his sons Princes William and Harry.
Wedding and blessing
The wedding took place at the Windsor Guildhall at 12.30 pm BST (11:30 UTCCoordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
) on 9 April 2005. Crowds had gathered on the streets since dawn ahead of the service. A civil ceremony was planned because of controversy within the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
regarding the remarriage of divorcees (see, for example, Edward VIII abdication crisis
Edward VIII abdication crisis
In 1936, a constitutional crisis in the British Empire was caused by King-Emperor Edward VIII's proposal to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite....
). It should be noted that there would have been no impediment to Charles re-marrying in the Church of England to a non-divorcee since his ex-wife's death
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales
On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, France. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140, Henri Paul, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Fayed's...
back in 1997 had made him a widower according to Church law. The problem was that his bride's ex-husband was still alive.
The ceremony was attended by all the senior royals apart from the Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. When Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
married Timothy Laurence
Timothy Laurence
Vice Admiral Sir Timothy James Hamilton Laurence, KCVO, CB, ADC is a senior British naval officer and the second husband of HRH The Princess Royal, the only daughter of HM The Queen...
after having divorced Mark Phillips
Mark Phillips
-Ancestry:-Issue:-Sources:...
, she chose to do so in the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. Remarriage of divorcees is less controversial in the Church of Scotland, and the sovereign has no constitutional role in the governance of the Church. The Prince of Wales and his bride did not elect this course of action.
The arrival of the Royal guests in a locally-hired mini-bus, was uprecendented. After the wedding, the couple's witnesses were Prince William of Wales and the bride's son, Tom Parker Bowles
Tom Parker Bowles
Thomas Henry Parker Bowles is the son of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Andrew Parker Bowles. His stepfather and godfather is Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. His younger sister is Laura Lopes....
. In keeping with tradition, the couple's wedding rings are crafted from 22 carat Welsh gold
Welsh gold
Welsh gold is highly prized because of its origin and scarcity, and occurs naturally in two distinct areas of Wales. One area is in North Wales in a band stretching from Barmouth, past Dolgellau and up towards Snowdonia. This was mined at several mines, the largest of which were the Gwynfynydd Gold...
from the Clogau
Clogau
The Clogau Gold Mine was once the largest and richest mine of all the gold mines in the Dolgellau gold mining area...
St David's mine in Bontddu
Bontddu
Bontddu, Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales is a small settlement east of Barmouth.Local tourism information describes a popular walk in the area of Bontddu:- External links :**...
. The tradition of using Clogau Gold within the wedding rings of The Royal Family dates back to 1923. The design of the wedding rings is by Wartski
Wartski
Wartski is a family-owned firm of antique dealers specialising in Russian works of art; particularly those by Carl Fabergé, fine jewellery and silver. Founded in North Wales in 1865 the business is now located at 14 Grafton Street in Mayfair, London. The company holds royal appointments as...
, a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
jeweller that has held the Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
to The Prince of Wales since 1979. The Prince wears his on the small finger of his left hand. For the wedding, the duchess wore a cream-coloured dress and coat
Wedding dress of Camilla Parker Bowles
The wedding dress of Camilla Parker Bowles is the wedding dress worn by Camilla Parker Bowles at her wedding with Prince Charles on 9 April 2005 at Windsor Guildhall. She wore an elegant cream silk dress and matching oyster silk basket weave coat. The silk chiffon dress was hemmed with vertical...
with a wide-brimmed cream-coloured hat. For the blessing afterward, she wore a floor-length embroidered pale blue and gold coat over a matching chiffon gown and a dramatic spray of golden feathers in her hair. Both ensembles were by Antonia Robinson and Anna Valentine, London designers who work under the name Robinson Valentine; both hats were made by the Irish milliner Philip Treacy
Philip Treacy
Philip Treacy OBE is an Irish milliner.Born in Ahascragh,in the West of Ireland, he lived with his parents, seven brothers and sister across the road from the village church...
.
The wedding was followed by a televised blessing at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, led by The Archbishop of Canterbury
Rowan Williams
Rowan Douglas Williams FRSL, FBA, FLSW is an Anglican bishop, poet and theologian. He is the 104th and current Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and Primate of All England, offices he has held since early 2003.Williams was previously Bishop of Monmouth and...
.
The wedding cake was made by Mrs Blunden, owner of the "Sophisticake" cake shop in Woodhall Spa
Woodhall Spa
Woodhall Spa is a civil parish and village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England within a wooded area on the Southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, about south-west of Horncastle and about east-south-east of Lincoln...
, Lincolnshire. In April 2005 a hotelier paid £215 in an internet auction for a slice of cake.
Public and commercial interest
Manufacturers of potteryPottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
and other commemorative items faced a late rush to change the dates on their products after the delayed wedding date became known. However, sales of those with the incorrect date soared when people began to think that they would become collectors items. For the wedding day, the theme park Alton Towers
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
changed the name of their rollercoaster "Rita: Queen of Speed" to "Camilla: Queen of Speed". Television commercials and signs around the park were all updated to reflect this change.
The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
gained the rights to broadcast the event where there was live coverage of the Service of Prayer and Dedication from St George's Chapel. On BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
Huw Edwards
Huw Edwards (journalist)
Huw Edwards is a BAFTA award-winning Welsh journalist, presenter and newsreader.He is a news presenter for BBC News in the United Kingdom. Edwards presents Britain's most watched news programme, BBC News at Ten, which is also the corporation's flagship news broadcast...
and Sophie Raworth
Sophie Raworth
Sophie Jane Raworth is an English newsreader and journalist who works for British broadcaster the BBC. She is the main presenter of the BBC News at One, presenting Tuesday to Friday, and regularly appears on the BBC News at Six and occasionally on BBC News at Ten.-Early life:Born in Surrey to a...
presented the live coverage of the event and fashion advisors Trinny Woodall
Trinny Woodall
Trinny Woodall is an English fashion advisor and designer, television presenter and author. She was raised in a wealthy family and was privately educated...
and Susannah Constantine
Susannah Constantine
Susannah Caroline Constantine is an English fashion journalist, advisor, television presenter, author and designer. Her second book, entitled What Not to Wear, has won her a prestigious British Book Award and sold 670,000 copies....
contributed as the contemporary social commentators. The BBC had around thirty cameras at the event and shared footage with broadcasters throughout the world. BBC News 24
BBC News 24
BBC News is the BBC's 24-hour rolling news television network in the United Kingdom. The channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 17:30 as part of the BBC's foray into digital domestic television channels, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since 1989...
also had coverage during the day with Jane Hill
Jane Hill
Jane Hill is a British newsreader working for the BBC.She is one of the main presenters on the BBC News Channel, the corporation's 24-hour rolling news service, and is a relief anchor for the BBC News at One, as well as regularly presenting the BBC Weekend News...
and Simon McCoy
Simon McCoy
Simon McCoy is a newsreader for the BBC, and is currently a regular presenter on the rolling news channel BBC News between 8.30am and 11am. He is also a relief presenter of the BBC News at One and of BBC Weekend News.-Early life:...
reporting live from Windsor
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
.
Three weddings had already been booked for the day at the Guildhall and were not displaced by the Royal engagement. Ms Grace Beesley was first to follow in her marriage to Mr. Fraser Moores. They were followed by Major Thomas Nigel Crapper of the Royal Signals who married Ms Deborah Jane Biltcliffe and Mr James Hooper of St Albans, Herts, who married Ms Nadine Hopkins
Family of the Prince of Wales
- HRH Prince William of Wales
- HRH Prince Harry of WalesPrince Harry of WalesPrince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
- HRH The Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
- HRH Princess Beatrice of YorkPrincess Beatrice of YorkPrincess Beatrice of York is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York...
- HRH Princess Eugenie of YorkPrincess Eugenie of YorkPrincess Eugenie of York Eugenie Victoria Helena; born 23 March 1990) is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York...
- HRH The EarlPrince Edward, Earl of WessexPrince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
and Countess of Wessex - HRH The Princess RoyalAnne, Princess RoyalPrincess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and RAdm Timothy LaurenceTimothy LaurenceVice Admiral Sir Timothy James Hamilton Laurence, KCVO, CB, ADC is a senior British naval officer and the second husband of HRH The Princess Royal, the only daughter of HM The Queen... - Mr Peter PhillipsPeter PhillipsPeter Phillips is the son of Anne, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom.Peter Phillips or Philips may also refer to:* Peter Philips Peter Phillips (born 1977) is the son of Anne, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom.Peter Phillips or Philips may also refer to:* Peter Philips Peter Phillips (born...
- Miss Zara PhillipsZara PhillipsZara Anne Elizabeth Phillips, MBE is the second child and only daughter of Princess Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips and is 13th in the line of succession to the throne...
- HRH Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady OgilvyPrincess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady OgilvyPrincess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy is the youngest granddaughter of King George V of the United Kingdom and Mary of Teck. She is the widow of Sir Angus Ogilvy...
- ViscountDavid Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley-Ancestry:-External links:* * * *...
and Viscountess LinleySerena Armstrong-Jones, Viscountess LinleySerena Alleyne Armstrong-Jones, Viscountess Linley is an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and a member, by marriage, of the extended British Royal Family. She was born in Limerick, Ireland.-Background:... - Mr DanielDaniel ChattoDaniel St. George Chatto born Daniel Chatto St. George Sproule, is a British artist and former actor. He is best known as the husband of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, who is the only daughter of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and the only niece of Queen Elizabeth II .-Biography:His parents...
and Lady Sarah ChattoLady Sarah ChattoThe Lady Sarah Frances Elizabeth Chatto, née Armstrong-Jones , is the only daughter of the 1st Earl of Snowdon and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, the second daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She is 17th in line of succession to the thrones of each of the Commonwealth Realms;...
Family of Camilla Parker Bowles
- Major Bruce ShandBruce ShandMajor Bruce Middleton Hope Shand, MC and bar, DL, was an officer in the British Army. He is best known as the father of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the second wife of Charles, Prince of Wales.-Early life:...
- Mr Tom Parker BowlesTom Parker BowlesThomas Henry Parker Bowles is the son of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Andrew Parker Bowles. His stepfather and godfather is Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. His younger sister is Laura Lopes....
and Miss Sara Buys - Miss Laura Parker BowlesLaura LopesLaura Rose Lopes, née Parker Bowles, is the daughter of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Andrew Parker Bowles, OBE. Her mother's remarriage in 2005 made HRH the Prince of Wales her stepfather. She has one elder brother, Tom Parker Bowles....
and Mr Harry Lopes - Mr Mark ShandMark ShandMark Roland Shand , is a British travel writer and conservationist.Shand is the son of Bruce Shand MC and his wife the Hon Rosalind Maud Cubitt, daughter of the 3rd Baron Ashcombe and the former Sonia Keppel. His elder sister is HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. He was educated at Milton Abbey School...
- Mr and Mrs Simon Elliot
- Mr Ben Elliot
- Miss Katie Elliot
- Mr and Mrs Luke Irwin
Family
- HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
- Plus: Families of the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles as per the above-mentioned list of wedding invitees
Viceroys
- HE The Governor-General of Antigua and BarbudaJames CarlisleSir James Beethoven Carlisle, GCMG is the former Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda. Selected by Prime Minister, Vere Cornwall Bird on June 10, 1993 and appointed by the Queen of Antigua his term was terminated on June 30, 2007 - a period of 14 years...
and Lady Carlisle - HE The Governor-General of AustraliaMichael JefferyMajor General Philip Michael Jeffery AC, CVO, MC was the 24th Governor-General of Australia , the first Australian career soldier to be appointed governor-general...
and Marlena Jeffery - HE The Governor-General of BarbadosClifford HusbandsSir Clifford Straughn Husbands, GCMG, KA, QC was the Governor-General of Barbados. He held this office from 1996, when he was appointed after the death of Dame Nita Barrow, until he retired on 31 October 2011.-External links:*...
- HE The Governor General of CanadaAdrienne ClarksonAdrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
and John Ralston SaulJohn Ralston SaulJohn Ralston Saul, CC is a Canadian author, essayist, and President of International PEN.As an essayist, Saul is particularly known for his commentaries on the nature of individualism, citizenship and the public good; the failures of manager-, or more precisely technocrat-, led societies; the... - HE The Queen's Representative in the Cook Islands and Lady Goodwin
- HE The Governor-General of Grenada and Lady Williams
- HE The Commonwealth Secretary-GeneralDon McKinnonSir Donald Charles "Don" McKinnon, ONZ, GCVO is a former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand. He was the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations from 2000 until 2008.-Early life:...
and Clare de Lore - HE The Governor-General of New ZealandSilvia CartwrightDame Silvia Rose Cartwright, PCNZM, DBE, QSO, DStJ was the 18th Governor-General of New Zealand.She is a graduate of the University of Otago, where she gained her LL.B degree in 1967, and a former student at Otago Girls' High School.- Public life and family :In 1989, she became the first female...
and Peter Cartwright - HE The Governor-General of Papua New GuineaPaulias MataneSir Paulias Nguna Matane GCL, GCMG, OBE, KStJ , formerly a career civil servant, was the eighth Governor-General of Papua New Guinea from 29 June 2004 to 13 December 2010.-Personal life:...
and Lady Matane - HE The Governor-General of St. Christopher and NevisCuthbert SebastianSir Cuthbert Montraville Sebastian, GCMG, OBE , is the Governor-General of St. Kitts and Nevis. He was appointed Governor-General in 1995 and was sworn in on 1 January 1996....
Foreign royals
- HM The King of BahrainHamad ibn Isa Al KhalifahKing Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is the King of Bahrain , having previously been its Emir . He is the son of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the previous Emir.-Early life and education:...
- TM King Constantine IIConstantine II of Greece|align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family....
and Queen Anne-MarieQueen Anne-Marie of GreeceQueen Anne-Marie of Greece is the wife of former King Constantine II of Greece, who was deposed in referendums in 1973 and in 1974. Her title "Queen of Greece" is not recognized under the terms of the republican Constitution of Greece...
of the Hellenes - TRH The Crown PrinceHaakon, Crown Prince of NorwayHaakon, Crown Prince of Norway is the heir apparent to the throne of Norway. On birth he was named Prince Haakon Magnus but it was stressed in the announcement that he would go by the name Haakon. He became Crown Prince Haakon when his father ascended to the crown as Harald V in 1991...
and Crown Princess of NorwayMette-Marit, Crown Princess of NorwayMette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway , is the wife of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.-Background and education:... - TRH The Crown PrinceAlexander, Crown Prince of YugoslaviaAlexander II Karadjordjevic, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia , is the former crown prince of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the head of the House of Karadjordjevic. Alexander is the only child of former King Peter II of Yugoslavia and Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark...
and Crown Princess of YugoslaviaKatherine, Crown Princess of YugoslaviaKatherine, Crown Princess of Yugoslavia, also named Katherine Karađorđević , is the wife of Alexander, Crown Prince of Serbia.Katherine was educated in Athens and Lausanne, Switzerland. She studied business at the University of Denver, Colorado and the University of Dallas, Texas... - TRH Prince ConstantijnPrince Constantijn of the NetherlandsPrince Constantijn of the Netherlands is the third and youngest son of Queen Beatrix and the late Prince Claus of the Netherlands. His godparents are King Constantine II of Greece, Prince Aschwin zu Lippe-Biesterfeld, Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche-Streithorst, Max Kohnstamm, and Mrs. C...
and Princess Laurentien of the NetherlandsPrincess Laurentien of the NetherlandsPrincess Laurentien of the Netherlands is the wife of Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, the third son of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Jonkheer van Amsberg.-Early life:Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst was born in Leiden on 25 May 1966, the daughter of the former Dutch minister... - HRH Princess Margarita of RomaniaPrincess Margarita of RomaniaPrincess Margarita of Romania , also styled as Crown Princess of Romania, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, former Princess of Hohenzollern, is the eldest daughter of Michael I , King of Romania , former Prince of Hohenzollern, and of his wife, Anne of Bourbon-Parma...
and HSH Radu, Prince of Hohenzollern-VeringenRadu, Prince of Hohenzollern-VeringenPrince Radu of Romania was born on 7 June 1960 in Iaşi, Romania, as Radu Duda. In 1996 he married Princess Margarita of Romania. On 1 January 1999 he was given the name, not title of "Prince of Hohenzollern-Veringen" by Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern, the Head of the Sigmaringen branch... - TRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud and Princess Nouf bint Fahd bin Khalid Al Saud
- HH Prince Bandar bin SultanBandar bin SultanBandar bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud is a prince of the Saudi royal family and was Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005. He was appointed Secretary-General of the National Security Council by King Abdullah on 16 October 2005...
Politicians
- The Rt Hon Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, and Cherie BlairCherie BlairCherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter... - The Rt Hon Michael HowardMichael HowardMichael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
, Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
leader, and Sandra Howard - The Rt Hon Charles KennedyCharles KennedyCharles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
, Liberal DemocratLiberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
leader, and Sarah Kennedy - The Rt Hon Jack McConnellJack McConnellJack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
, First Minister of ScotlandFirst Minister of ScotlandThe First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
, and Hannah McConnell - The Rt Hon Rhodri MorganRhodri MorganHywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
, First Minister for WalesFirst Minister for WalesThe First Minister of Wales is the leader of the Welsh Government, Wales' devolved administration, which was established in 1999. The First Minister is responsible for the exercise of functions by the Cabinet of the Welsh Government; policy development and coordination; relationships with the...
, and Julie Morgan - The Rt Hon Paul Murphy, Secretary of State for Northern IrelandSecretary of State for Northern IrelandThe Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
Religious representatives
- The Most Revd and Rt Hon The Archbishop of CanterburyRowan WilliamsRowan Douglas Williams FRSL, FBA, FLSW is an Anglican bishop, poet and theologian. He is the 104th and current Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and Primate of All England, offices he has held since early 2003.Williams was previously Bishop of Monmouth and...
and Jane Williams - The Rt Rev and Rt Hon The Rt Rev The Lord Carey of CliftonGeorge CareyGeorge Leonard Carey, Baron Carey of Clifton PC, FKC is a former Archbishop of Canterbury, holding the office from 1991 to 2002. He was the first modern holder of the office not to have attended Oxford or Cambridge University...
and Lady Carey - The Rt Rev The Dean of Windsor and wife
- The Rev Canon Doctor Hueston Finlay and wife
- The Rev Canon Laurence Gunner and wife
- The Rev Canon John Ovenden and Christine Ovenden
- The Rev John White
Celebrities and personalities
- Lady Annabel GoldsmithLady Annabel GoldsmithLady Annabel Goldsmith is a British socialite and the eponym for a celebrated London nightclub of the late 20th century, Annabel's. She was first married for two decades to entrepreneur Mark Birley, the creator of Annabel's, which she helped make a glamorous success as her husband's inaugural...
, socialite, and her family - Christopher Warren-GreenChristopher Warren-GreenChristopher Warren-Green is a British violinist and conductor. He attended Westminster City Grammar School and the Royal Academy of Music....
, conductor - David FrostDavid Frost (broadcaster)Sir David Paradine Frost, OBE is a British journalist, comedian, writer, media personality and daytime TV game show host best known for his two decades as host of Through the Keyhole and serious interviews with various political figures, the most notable being Richard Nixon...
, broadcaster - Edward FoxEdward Fox (actor)Edward Charles Morice Fox, OBE is an English stage, film and television actor.He is generally associated with portraying the role of the upper-class Englishman, such as the title character in the film The Day of the Jackal and King Edward VIII in the serial Edward & Mrs...
, actor and Joanna David - Jilly CooperJilly CooperJilly Cooper OBE is an English author. She started her career as a journalist and wrote numerous works of non-fiction before writing several romance novels, the first of which appeared in 1975. She is most famous for writing the Rutshire Chronicles.-Early life:Jilly Sallitt was born in Hornchurch,...
, novelist - Joan RiversJoan RiversJoan Rivers is an American comedian, television personality and actress. She is known for her brash manner; her loud, raspy voice with a heavy New York accent; and her numerous cosmetic surgeries...
, comic - Joanna LumleyJoanna LumleyJoanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
, actress and ambassador for Prince's Trust - Martina MilburnMartina Milburn-Early career:Milburn started a career as a journalist, but then worked freelance for a number of charities including CAFOD.She also worked as a researcher on a number of BBC television appeals, including Challenge Anneka from Malawi, Going Live and Blue Peter specials from Jamaica.In 1993 she...
, chief executive of the Prince's Trust - The Rt Hon The Lord BraggMelvyn BraggMelvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg FRSL FRTS FBA, FRS FRSA is an English broadcaster and author best known for his work with the BBC and for presenting the The South Bank Show...
, broadcaster and author - Nicholas SoamesNicholas SoamesArthur Nicholas Winston Soames MP , known as Nicholas Soames, is a British Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the constituency of Mid Sussex....
, shadow defence secretary - Paddy Campbell, fashion designer
- Philip TreacyPhilip TreacyPhilip Treacy OBE is an Irish milliner.Born in Ahascragh,in the West of Ireland, he lived with his parents, seven brothers and sister across the road from the village church...
, milliner - Prunella ScalesPrunella ScalesPrunella Scales CBE is an English actress, known for her role as Basil Fawlty's long-suffering wife in the British comedy Fawlty Towers and her award-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in the British film A Question of Attribution.-Career:Throughout her long career, Scales has usually been cast...
, actress - Richard E. GrantRichard E. GrantRichard E. Grant is a Swaziland-born British actor, screenwriter and director. His most notable role came in the film Withnail and I. He holds dual British and Swazi citizenship.-Early life:...
, actor - Robert HarrisRobert Harris (novelist)Robert Dennis Harris is an English novelist. He is a former journalist and BBC television reporter.-Early life:Born in Nottingham, Harris spent his childhood in a small rented house on a Nottingham council estate. His ambition to become a writer arose at an early age, from visits to the local...
, author - Ronald HarwoodRonald HarwoodSir Ronald Harwood CBE is an author, playwright and screenwriter. He is most noted for his plays for the British stage as well as the screenplays for The Dresser and The Pianist, for which he won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay...
, playwright - Sanjeev BhaskarSanjeev BhaskarSanjeev Bhaskar, OBE is a British Indian comedian, actor and broadcaster, best known for his work in the BBC Two comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and as host of The Kumars at No. 42...
, actor - Simon Sebag MontefioreSimon Sebag MontefioreSimon Jonathan Sebag Montefiore is a British historian and writer.-Family history:Simon's father, a doctor, is descended from a famous line of wealthy Sephardic Jews who became diplomats and bankers all over Europe...
, biographer, novelist and journalist - Stephen FryStephen FryStephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
, actor, writer and broadcaster - Sir Stephen LamportStephen LamportSir Stephen Mark Jeffrey Lamport, KCVO, DL is Receiver General of Westminster Abbey after a dinstinguished career.He was born in 1951 and educated at Dorking Grammar School, and Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge, where he was a Scholar and graduated with a BA , and subsequently...
, former private secretary of the prince - Timothy WestTimothy WestTimothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
, actor - Trudie StylerTrudie StylerTrudie Styler is an English actress and producer. She is the second wife of the musician Sting.-Life and career:Styler was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. She attended North Bromsgrove High School, where one of her teachers was Clifford T. Ward...
, actor and producer - Valentino Garavani, fashion designer
- William ShawcrossWilliam ShawcrossWilliam Hartley Hume Shawcross, CVO is a British writer and commentator.-Career:Shawcross was educated at St. Aubyns Preparatory School, Rottingdean, Eton College and University College, Oxford. He attended St. Martin's Art School to study sculpture after leaving Oxford. He worked as a journalist...
, writer and broadcaster - William Rees-MoggWilliam Rees-MoggWilliam Rees-Mogg, Baron Rees-Mogg is an English journalist and life peer.-Education:Rees-Mogg was educated at Clifton College Preparatory School in Bristol and Charterhouse School in Godalming, followed by Balliol College, Oxford...
, former editor of The Times - Rowan AtkinsonRowan AtkinsonRowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...
, actor - Staff from Clarence HouseClarence HouseClarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall, in the City of Westminster. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is since then the official residence of The...
, Highgrove House, BirkhallBirkhallBirkhall is a 53,000 acre estate on Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is alongside the River Muick to the southwest of Ballater....
and SandringhamSandringham HouseSandringham House is a country house on of land near the village of Sandringham in Norfolk, England. The house is privately owned by the British Royal Family and is located on the royal Sandringham Estate, which lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History and current...