William and Catherine Wedding

The flight from Spitzbergen was due to carry Prince Harry and the Walking with the Wounded team to a temporary runway at Barneo Ice Field in the Arctic on Friday 1st April 2011.  From, there the team's intrepid 200 mile walk to the North Pole would begin .  Gale force winds at the landing strip meant that the runway wasn't ready in time though, so the flight to Barneo was delayed until Monday 4th April.  Even a Prince has to wait for the Arctic weather to calm down!

During the days in Spitzbergen, Norway, Prince Harry and the Walking with the Wounded team practised arctic essentials like setting up tents to form a camp in the biting arctic weather, ski-ing mountains and racing snow mobiles whilst training for the Arctic expedition, whereby Prince Harry would join the Walking with the Wounded team of injured servicemen at the start of their 200 mile expedition to the North Pole.  Dragging a sled full of equipment behind him and with a rifle slung over his back, Prince Harry and the Walking with the Wounded team were accompained by a husky who could act as a lookout and alarm everyone if any polar bears came in sight,  

Earlier this month, on Friday 8th April 2011, Prince Harry returned from a chilling but thriliing few days in the icy Arctic.

The prince's big arctic adventure started on Tuesday 29th March when he landed at Longyearbyen Airport on Spitsbergen.  Located  between mainland Norway and the North Pole, Spitszbergen is the largest island in Norway and is the Western island of the Svalbard group of islands.

Royal Wedding Route Map
Click to open full sized image in a new window
Based on a map from OpenStreetMap

Important for anyone wanting to follow the special event on TV, and particulary vital for anyone intending to be in London to cheer on the happy couple on the big day, we can now give you a special map of the processional route and times for Catherine's journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, Prince William's journey from St James' Palace and their return together back to Buckingham Palace as husband and wife.

Formal Official Engagement Photo of Prince William and Catherine
Copyright 2010 Mario Testino

Prince William and Catherine Middleton's official engagement portrait photos were released by Clarence House on 12 December 2010. The two photos were taken on 25 November in London by professional Peruvian photographer Mario Testino during a two-hour shoot and were selected by William and Catherine themselves, Both photos capture perfectly the radiance and warmth between the happy couple.

Almost exactly one week after last Tuesday's big announcement of the actual engagement, it was confirmed at lunchtime today (UK time) that Westminster Abbey will definitely be the location for Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding ceremony. The actual date of the wedding was also announced - it will be held on Friday 29th April 2010. The UK Government have also confirmed that the big day will be a bank holiday for England, to allow the whole country to enjoy the celebrations.

This past week was most certainly a happy one for England and the Royal family following an announcement from Clarence House, the official residence of Prince Charles, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and Princes William and Harry at just around 11AM on Tuesday 16th November 2010. After a long period of courting, Prince William and Catherine Middleton have become engaged. Yay for the happy couple!