Kate Middleton and Prince William: How the Royal Couple Is Just Like Us

Prince William and Kate Middleton are the couple of the moment. Their every move is watched by the paparazzi. Their style is coveted and imitated. And, of course, their wedding this past April stole the hearts of romantics all over the world.

But the seemingly untouchable "super couple" is actually ... well, normal. Yes, Kate's "something borrowed" may have been the queen's Cartier tiara, and Will has grown up with the title of His Royal Highness. But some of their day-to-day habits are the same as the rest of us, like grocery shopping and setting up a new home. Here are some more:

1. They Travel Coach:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge don't always need a private jet to get from A to B. Take last weekend's wedding between Will's cousin, Zara Phillips, and rugby player Mike Tindall in Scotland. According to the Daily Mail, Wills and Kate hopped on discount carrier FlyBe to travel home from Edinburgh. A one-way ticket with the low-cost airline runs for about $60, and the couple allegedly had to go through customary security checks like their fellow travelers. Will's brother, Prince Harry, also reportedly flew round trip to Scotland from London with another discount carrier, EasyJet.

2. They Repeat Outfits:

In the days of Facebook, even mere "commoners" balk at the prospect of an outfit repeat posted everywhere online. Not for the Duchess of Cambridge. At the same wedding in Edinburgh, she donned two outfits that had been previously worn and photographed; one during her recent U.S. visit and another for a 2006 wedding. Other famous repeats of the duchess include her L.K. Bennett nude pumps and the white Reiss dress she wore in her official engagement photos.

3. They Have Dates:

Last month, the couple was spotted on a date at the movies. Taking in a double feature of "Bridesmaids" and the latest "Harry Potter" flick near their Anglesey home, it was a Saturday night fit for any couple royal or not.

4. She Shuns Makeup Artists: Kate Middleton's smoky eyes at her April 29 wedding were courtesy of herself. After reportedly receiving bridal makeup training from makeup artist Arabella Preston, she executed the look on her own on the actual day. And after doing her own wedding day look, the Duchess kept it real in Canada and the U.S., putting her newly-acquired beauty tips to good use.

5. They Work on Their Birthdays:

Just a short time after his world-famous wedding, the Duke of Cambridge turned 29 like anyone else would at work. The Royal Air Force Helicopter Search and Rescue Pilot spent the day at a base in Anglesey, an island off the coast of Wales. He even went in anticipating the potential for a 24-hour workday.

So they have the jewels, they have the attention and they have the titles. But, it very well could be that behind it all, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge really are just Will and Kate, young and happy newlyweds who just happen to be royals.

Kate Recycles Her Wardrobe For Zara Phillips's Wedding � Again

She did it again! For Zara Phillips's wedding festivities, the down-to-earth Duchess of Cambridge made a weekend of recycling her wardrobe.

First, she wore a green silk Diane von Furstenberg dress for the Friday evening yacht reception the same frock that she wore to an event in Los Angeles.

Then, for the wedding ceremony on Saturday, Kate stepped out in a cream-colored coat that royal watchers have seen on her before: at Laura Parker Bowles's wedding in 2006.

Of course, Kate made a point of switching up her headwear, donning a much larger hat to Phillips's wedding than the festive fascinator she wore five years ago.

Royal couple at last event on Calif tour

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrapped up their trip to Southern California on Sunday by visiting an inner city school in downtown Los Angeles's notorious Skid Row area and attending a job fair for veterans.

Prince William and his wife Catherine were welcomed to the Inner City Arts academy by six elementary-aged children holding a welcome banner while a crowd of about 150 people cheered and looked on, some waving British and American flags.

Kate, as she is better known, wore a navy-and-white crochet top and a white pleated skirt, both by U.K. fashion company Whistles.

Cynthia Harnisch, the academy's president and chief executive officer, spoke to the couple about Skid Row and the challenges of poverty and homelessness faced by many students at the school.

The duke and duchess were then escorted to a visual arts studio where they donned art smocks and sat at easels to paint.

A group of teenage dancers then performed for the couple, who appeared to enjoy the show.

Fifteen-year-old Iliana Samaniego, who was in the troupe, said she was thrilled when William gave a double thumbs up and told them "brilliant" at the end of the performance.

"Just seeing the smile on Catherine, it was great," said Samaniego, one of the 16 dancers.

Skid Row, with its intractable poverty and largely homeless population, could hardly stand in starker contrast to the more glitzy parts of Southern California that the couple has seen on their whirlwind visit.

On Saturday, William scored four goals at a charity polo match and earlier Sunday he attended a swanky reception to raise money for Tusk Trust, an African wildlife conservation group.

Their final stop before departing for the U.K. was with the group ServiceNation: Mission Serve, which aims to help veterans find jobs.

Inside the event's venue, Studio 15 on the Sony Pictures Studio lot in Culver City, giant U.S. and British flags hung behind a stage where the smiling duke addressed a cheering crowd.

"All the companies and employers taking part today are providing opportunities which mean something very immediate and personal to us," he said. "Catherine and I both have friends back in Britain who could benefit from a brilliant initiative like this."

The soundstage hosted a job fair for military veterans, with employers such as Mattel, Walmart and entertainment industry companies such as Warner Bros. and CBS manning booths. The companies must have jobs in order to participate in the fair, said Ross Cohen, Mission Serve's director.

Cohen, who served in Afghanistan and was an army paratrooper, events such as the job fair were crucial for returning veterans. Unemployment rates for young vets and their spouses are as high as 25 percent, Cohen said.

Kelly York, a 23-year Air Force veteran, came to the fair hoping to find a job that will allow her to remain in the Los Angeles area when she retires early next year.

"I'm sure that they had 50 million places they could go and see," York said. "The fact that they even take five minutes to stop here and say something to the veterans, that's huge."

After arriving at the event and speaking with some veterans, the duke and duchess plan to help prepare care packages for children of deployed service members and then depart Los Angeles.

Kate and William attend polo game in Santa Barbara

Prince William and Kate arrived at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club on Saturday to participate in a polo match expected to raise millions for charity.

It's something of a recreational diversion for the couple, who otherwise are spending the bulk of their three-day trip to Southern California promoting British business ties to the U.S.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived by helicopter in the coastal city of Carpinteria in Santa Barbara County, joining hundreds of well-heeled royal watchers who had traveled long distances and paid big sums to see them.

Among the celebrities spotted at the event were Jennifer Love Hewitt, Zoe Saldana, Rosario Dawson, Billy Zane, Rob Lowe, model-actress Molly Sims and musician Joe Jonas.

William wore a white shirt and trousers with a blue blazer while the former Kate Middleton sported a silver and marble-grey, hand-painted silk dress by British designer Jenny Packham.

The cheap seats cost $400, while anyone paying $4,000 for a VIP ticket would get a chance to hobnob with the royal newlyweds. The duchess will present the trophy to the winning polo team.

Carolyn Sesvold flew in from Chicago to attend the match, buying a brown-and-white polka dotted dress, hat and gloves inspired by the outfit Julia Roberts wore to the polo match in the movie "Pretty Woman."

Sesvold, a royal fan, also came to watch a family friend who paid about $50,000 to play against William in the polo game. Those playing on the same team as the duke paid twice that, she said.

Cheryl Reyes, who works in an office in Orange County, bought her $400 ticket as soon as she heard the royal couple would be coming to Santa Barbara. Standing across the field nibbling on a sandwich and drinking a flute of juice, she worried about whether she'd be able to see the duchess.

"I wanted to see Princess Catherine," she said. "There's just something magical about being a commoner and ending with a prince. She's the one I want to see."

Both Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry, regularly play polo during the summer months. The horseback sport, sometimes referred to as the game of kings, is known for its fast pace, dangerous maneuvers and exclusivity. William plays with a one-goal handicap, which means he plays to a high standard.

The duke and duchess arrived in California on Friday after a nine-day trip to Canada, their first foreign excursion since getting married in April.

After the polo game, the duke and duchess will head to downtown Los Angeles to attend a black tie event at the historic Belasco Theatre, where they will be guests of honor at a British Academy of Film and Television Arts dinner honoring 42 young British filmmakers.

The list of celebrities reportedly also attending reads like a who's who of Hollywood royalty: Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Quentin Tarantino and Judd Apatow.

William and Kate's arrival in California has been a lower-key affair compared to the largely rapturous welcomes they received as they crisscrossed Canada, though small crowds of royal watchers waving British and American flags congregated outside the British consul general's home in Hancock Park and elsewhere. Among the celebrities seen chatting at a reception for the couple were British football star David Beckham and humorist Stephen Fry.

On Sunday, the royal couple will watch a dance at a nonprofit academy in the gritty Skid Row area of downtown then attend a job fair for U.S. servicemen and women transitioning to civilian life.

"People just want a glimpse of the duke and duchess," said Los Angeles resident Christian Kang. "There's so much compassion in both of them. I know they're going to Skid Row, and I think that's very good to see from someone in his position."

Though Prince William has been to America before, it is Kate's first trip to the U.S. William's late mother, Princess Diana, who would have turned 50 this month, charmed Americans when she visited in the 1980s.

Kate and William land in Los Angeles for US trip

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, fresh off a nine day trip to Canada, arrived in Los Angeles on Friday to begin a whirlwind weekend tour.

Their arrival was a lower key affair compared to the largely rapturous welcomes they received as they crisscrossed Canada. The royal couple had departed Calgary earlier Friday, having endeared themselves to Canadian crowds with a skillful mix of royal pomp and playful informality on their first official trip abroad since marrying.

Aside from a game of polo in the seaside city of Santa Barbara, much of the couple's three-day California visit will focus on business and not pleasure. Instead of trips to the famous Hollywood sign or Malibu's beaches, their itinerary includes some hefty fundraising for good causes, promoting U.S. investment in Britain and charitable work.

The newlyweds landed shortly before 4 p.m. local time (2300 GMT) in a Canadian military jet. The former Kate Middleton, who left Canada in a red satin and wool scarlet coat-dress by Catherine Walker, changed aboard the flight and emerged wearing a light-gray, knee-length dress with asymmetric draping at the shoulder. William wore a navy blue suit with a purple tie.

A small group of officials including California Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife Anne Gust, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Britain's ambassador the U.S., Sir Nigel Sheinwald, greeted the couple at the airport.

Though Prince William has been to America before, it is Kate's first trip to the U.S. William's late mother, Princess Diana, who would have turned 50 this month, charmed Americans when she visited in the 1980s.

Authorities have put the paparazzi, known for their cutthroat tactics, on notice that aggressive actions will not be tolerated. Photographers were partly blamed for causing the Paris crash that killed Princess Diana in 1997.

The royal couple climbed into a black Range Rover and headed for their first event, a technology summit in Beverly Hills aimed at promoting U.S. investment in British tech firms.

Zoomed along by a California Highway Patrol motorcade, the duke and duchess avoided rush-hour traffic to the Beverly Hills summit by staying off the ever clogged West Los Angeles freeways.

The summit was set up to generate support for Tech City, London's answer to Silicon Valley. The area around the trendy Old Street part of east London is quickly becoming a hub for technology and software firms.

A small crowd of royal watchers gathered outside the hotel as the couple arrived but the duke and duchess did not stop to speak with them. Attendees stood and clapped as they entered the ballroom and sat on stage alongside other panelists.

Neither spoke during the discussion, though Kate smiled when the panelists mentioned that attendees were welcome to visit Tech City. At the end of the panel, the moderator asked if anyone wanted to talk. Kate nudged William, who shrugged off the opportunity.

Neil Stiles, president of Variety, which sponsored the event, accompanied the couple for brief demonstrations of technology on display at the expo, including the new tablet computer from HP and augmented reality applications from Qualcomm.

"They were delightful company," Stiles said. "They were relaxed, very comfortable in the environment. It was a lot to take in. They arrived at a conference that's been running all day on a very heavy business subject, and I thought they coped with it really well."

Britain's royal family has shown itself to be tech savvy in recent years and maintains accounts on several social media sites.

Residents in Hancock Park, the exclusive neighborhood that is home to the British consul general where William and Kate will stay, worked with police to create no-trespass notices for their homes. Any photographers standing on their driveways would be instantly arrested, though by late Friday the police said there had been no arrests.

On Saturday, the couple is traveling along the scenic Pacific coast from Los Angeles to the posh Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club for a charity polo game.

Later on, the duke and duchess will be guests of honor at a British Academy of Film and Television Arts dinner honoring 42 young British filmmakers and on Sunday, they will watch a dance at a nonprofit academy in the gritty Skid Row area downtown, then attend a job fair for U.S. servicemen and women transitioning to civilian life.

On Friday evening, the couple were honored at a reception at the consul general's home attended by such British notables as David Beckham and humorist Stephen Fry. Several news vans and bystanders were positioned across the street from the residence, which was blocked off by the Los Angeles Police Department, hoping for a peek at the couple.

In Canada, the newlyweds were cheered almost everywhere they went. They celebrated Canada Day with hundreds of thousands on Parliament Hill, did an impromptu walkabout in Quebec City, raced in dragon boats on bucolic Prince Edward Island and went canoeing in the wilds of the Northwest Territories.

A much talked about highlight was the race in Prince Edward Island when the prince's boat defeated Kate's. William's consoling hug and Kate's playful response she shoved the prince as if to push him into the water revealed their competitive, loving and fun side, and warmed Canadians' hearts.

There was a moment Thursday that almost amounted to a faux pas when the young prince and his bride appeared to snub their western Canadian host by not donning white cowboy hats upon arrival at airport, a time-honored Calgary tradition. But ruffled feathers were smoothed when the royal duo turned up for a rodeo show later in full western regalia, including the hats.

William said the nine day trip to Canada exceeded expectations and promised to return.

William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, is Canada's titular head of state. Carolyn Harris, a royal historian with Queen's University, said the royal couple's visit would likely ensure the monarchy remains the head of state in Canada for years to come.

"The degree of popularity that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoy really shows that the institution really has a popular and viable future in Canada," Harris said.

With royal visit, celeb shooters under scrutiny

More than a dozen years after Princess Diana's death on a Paris highway sparked an international backlash against the photographers who chased her, her son's visit to the paparazzi hotbed of Southern California has officials on high alert.

Prince William and bride Kate will arrive Friday in a state that in the years since Diana's death has passed three laws intended to curb paparazzi abuses. The most recent change, inspired in part by Jennifer Aniston's experiences, raises the penalties for aggressive driving by paparazzi from mere infractions to misdemeanors punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

The newlyweds are two of the world's hottest celebrities right now and law enforcement officials who have hoped for a situation to test the new laws think they may get one when the perfect storm of British and Los Angeles celebrity photographers jockey for shots of the royal couple.

"We want to make sure everybody has a safe trip," Los Angeles police Sgt. Mitzi Fierro said. She said that would extend to residents and the public, not just the heavily guarded royal couple.

Beginning Friday morning, police plan to close the street of the British consul-general's home in Hancock Park, where the couple will stay on their weekend visit. Officers have already obtained "No Trespass" letters from neighbors, which will be used to arrest anyone who enters the adjoining properties to try to get pictures or glimpses of the couple.

"If anybody is behaving inappropriately," Fierro said, "we're going to take whatever legal police action we can to enforce the laws."

That includes a trio of anti-paparazzi state laws that are ostensibly unused and have done little to thin the ranks of those who track celebrities' every move.

Photo agencies expect shots of the newlyweds in LA to sell for anywhere from $25 to $1,000. "Every move they make, everything she does, there will be 10,000 images," Bauer-Griffin photo agency co-owner Frank Griffin said of the upcoming trip.

"This will be a pretty good test of where we're at," said Mark Geragos, a celebrity attorney who has helped clients deal with aggressive shooters over the years.

For the LA equivalent of royalty � movie, television and increasingly, reality TV stars � daily paparazzi interactions fuel their stardom. Yet clashes sometimes occur between photographers and celebrities, such as Russell Brand and Mike Tyson, who were arrested after airport scuffles.

Many are surprised that seven months after the law against aggressive driving went into effect, no one has been charged.

Matt Schonbrun, a deputy Los Angeles city attorney, said he expected to see plenty of cases after the law was passed in January. But reports from celebrities of misconduct haven't come in, and a 911 call documenting a dangerous pursuit is necessary, he said.

Private security firms hired by celebrities even offered to put video cameras in their cars to capture what happens when they are pursued by paparazzi.

"These incidents are happening every day. It's really scary and coming to a critical mass," Schonbrun said. "We need a test case and we want the first ones to be egregious. Once that call is made we can get the ball rolling."

Schonbrun said the main challenge for law enforcement is to prove there was intent to make an image for commercial gain. "We need to establish that the picture is going to be sold and it's an undertaking on our part to follow the money trail," he said.

Kain Guercci, director of operations at Talon Executive Services, an Orange County company that provides security for corporate executives and celebrities, said the lure of a big paycheck makes some paparazzi fearless.

"If I'm getting a picture that will pay between $1,000 and $5,000 and I'm going to get a misdemeanor on my record, it just doesn't compute," Guercci said.

The sponsor of the driving bill, Congresswoman Karen Bass, D-Calif., pushed for the stiffer penalties while in the state assembly, in part because of hearing stories from Jennifer Aniston about being hounded. In one instance, the actress told Bass she had been surrounded by photographers on Pacific Coast Highway and unable to drive away.

Two other laws � which allow celebrities to receive hefty civil judgments if a photograph is taken where they have an expectation of privacy have been on the books for longer and have gone similarly unused.

Aniston did use one of the laws, which was enacted after an incident involving Arnold Schwarzenegger, to sue a man who photographed her topless at her home without permission in 2005. The case settled before trial, but it appears to be the only time a celebrity has used the civil invasion of privacy provision against a photographer.

Although many stars are passionate about cracking down on aggressive shutterbugs, they are less inclined to be called as a possible witness if a case is brought to trial, Schonbrun said.

In public places, some LA area police agencies are employing more mundane rules against the paparazzi.

Los Angeles police Cmdr. Kevin McCarthy recalled an instance where he sent officers to the school one of Britney Spears' children was attending. Every time she came to pick the boy up, pandemonium broke out and numerous residents called police.

"These guys were parked on side streets, they just came out of nowhere, double parking in the street, getting as many shots as they could," McCarthy said.

Lt. Tony Lee of the Beverly Hills Police Department said his department in recent years has frequently given traffic citations to aggressive photographers. However, the department hasn't seen a case yet that rises to a level where the new law could be applied.

The LAPD also ran a couple of traffic operations, where motorcycle officers would saturate the route being driven by a celebrity, then pull people over for traffic violations. But such operations did little to deter paparazzi looking for the big-money shot, said McCarthy.

Giles Harrison, a celebrity photographer and owner of London Entertainment Group, said he's witnessed the extra enforcement efforts, including on the beaches of Malibu, where paparazzi are being cited for shooting without a commercial license.

Harrison jokes that he's the "world's most infamous pap" � a reference to a 1998 incident involving Schwarzenegger that partially prompted California's initial effort to reign in the paparazzi. He and another photographer were convicted of misdemeanor false imprisonment and sentenced to jail for boxing in Schwarzenegger and his family as they sat in their Hummer.

Citing the incident and the death of Princess Diana, the California Legislature passed its first anti-paparazzi measure a year later. It created hefty civil penalties available to stars whose privacy was invaded and was used by Aniston in her lawsuit.

Years later during his tenure as governor, Schwarzenegger signed an update that makes outlets that publish illegally obtained images liable for damages, but that version has never been used.

Their legality remains in question and many First Amendment attorneys doubt they would withstand judicial scrutiny if applied.

Harrison said anti paparazzi laws are unnecessary, that there are plenty of regulations on the books to protect both stars and private citizens. He blamed many of the incidents of bad behavior on untrained shooters who crossed the line.

And for now, it seems, stars are relying on those already established laws, and the occasional assist from police, to keep from being photographed.

Lee, the Beverly Hills police lieutenant, said some stars who aren't familiar with his city have actually come to the police station asking to be escorted out of town.

"It doesn't happen often," Lee explained, "but if we feel there is a safety risk for them, then we will do what we can to ensure their safety."

Prince William, Kate charm Canada on royal visit

Prince William and Kate joined in Canada Day celebrations, often stealing the show as they were feted by Canadian leaders and cheered by tens of thousands who lined the streets of the Canadian capital to get a glimpse of them.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomed them to an afternoon program Friday at Parliament Hill as "the world's most famous newlyweds" and said they represent "our unbreakable link with our past and our unqualified optimism for the future."

The crowd many dressed in Canada's red and white colors � exploded in prolonged cheering and chants of "Will and Kate, Will and Kate." A few wore homemade crowns in a nod to the royals.

The royal couple, who married in April and are on their first official overseas tour, beamed.

In his speech marking Canada's 144th birthday, the prince talked of his and Kate's family ties to Canada � in French and English, as he had a day earlier.

He said that Kate had learned about Canada from her late grandfather, "who held this country dear to his heart for he trained in Alberta as a young pilot during the Second World War."

On his side, he spoke of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. The queen, he said, "has asked me to convey her warmest good wishes to the people of Canada, and her happy and abiding memories of being on Parliament Hill with Thee Duke of Edinburgh one year ago."

The prince referred to his grandmother as "the queen of Canada," since she remains Canada's head of state, drawing a loud cheer from the crowd.

He said the queen was watching their Canada tour with interest.

Kate wore the same dress that she wore in her official engagement photos, a cream-colored dress from London designer Reiss. But for her Ottawa appearance, she added the queen's Maple Leaf brooch and a brilliant red hat topped with a maple leaf. The queen loaned the brooch to the duchess for the tour; it was first worn in 1951 by the then-Princess Elizabeth on her first visit to Canada.

Prince William wore an understated blue suit and a red tie.

Police estimated that some 300,000 people were gathered around Parliament Hill to watch the Canada Day show.

A 21-gun salute to Canada's and military plane flyovers were part of the pageantry.

When two F-18's did a flyby, Kate mouthed "that scared me" and put her hand to her heart.

At breaks in the official program, the crowd erupted into the cheer "Will and Kate, Will and Kate." There also were cheers of "Prince William, Prince William," suggesting that the young prince was charming his Canadian audience as much as his new bride was.

Before leaving Parliament Hill, the royal pair walked toward the barricades holding back the public and shook hands and chatted with the people, some of whom had waited through the night. Several gave Kate flowers and small, wrapped gifts.

Greg Kolz, 33, shook hands with both William and Kate and got so nervous that he wished William a "merry Christmas."

"His response was 'that was brilliant' and that he had done that once or twice himself," he said. "We did a bit of a high five and then I collected myself enough to wish him a happy Canada Day."

Courtney Young, 20, said William and Kate make the monarchy relevant to her generation.

"They are rock stars. They are a modern couple," she said. "With Prince Charles coming in, my generation didn't really feel it. Kate is one of us. It makes it more real. And it's a modern day fairy tale."

Friday also would have been the 50th birthday of William's mother, Princess Diana, who died in a 1997 Paris car crash. In London, her admirers gathered to leave gifts outside Kensington Palace, which was her official residence.

Signs carried by the crowd included "Canada loves Will and Kate" and "Happy Birthday Lady Di. Canadians love you."

Joan Milovick, 65, traveled to Ottawa from the Toronto area with three of her sisters and met William during a walkabout. Her sister gave William flowers to give to Kate.

"He seemed so genuine, so much like his mom," Milovick said, getting teary-eyed. "Very glamorous, very much like Diana was."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are officially known, later attended the evening portion of a Canada Day concert and were visible to thousands via a giant television screens. Kate wore a purple Issa Jersey dress.

Some Canadians refused to give up an unofficial Parliament Hill Canada Day tradition � as the music carried on, the smell of marijuana wafted through the cooling night air.

They royal couple began the day Friday by joining in the ceremony for people who became Canadian citizens.

As they emerged from their motorcade at the Canadian Museum of Civilization to a raucous welcome. The pro-royal spectators broke into spontaneous renditions of "O Canada" and "God Save the Queen" to drown out a handful of protesters who oppose requiring new Canadian citizens to pledge allegiance to the queen.

At the museum, the royal pair watched as 25 people from 14 countries became Canadian citizens. They handed out red and white maple leaf flags to the newly minted Canadians, then participated in a reception for the new citizens and their families.

During the visit, William, a helicopter pilot, will take part in a water landing demonstration, and the couple is scheduled to put on aprons and take part in a cooking workshop in Quebec City. They also will open the world-renowned Calgary Stampede.

Some anti-royal protests were expected in the French-speaking province of Quebec, with small groups planning protests in Quebec City and Montreal.

The prince and Kate jet to Los Angeles on July 8 and will host a gala dinner there the next night to introduce up-and-coming British film talent to Hollywood executives.

Calif. governor, first lady to meet royal couple

Gov. Jerry Brown and first lady Anne Gust Brown plan to greet Prince William and his wife, Kate, when they arrive in Los Angeles next week marking the second time Brown has hosted British royalty as governor.

Brown's office on Friday released his itinerary during the official visit to California by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and plans show the governor and other officials will greet the couple during their first official overseas tour when they arrive at Los Angeles International Airport on July 8.

"The governor and Anne are delighted that they've chosen California as their single stop in the United States," said the governor's spokeswoman Elizabeth Ashford. "The governor will talk about the strength of the relationship with California: tourism, trade and environmentalism, and there's some possibility they'll talk about corgis."

The Browns have a 7-year-old Pembroke Welsh corgi named Sutter, known as California's first dog. The breed is a small herding dog and has been a favorite of the prince's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. The queen has bred corgis for years.

When Brown was California's governor the first time in 1977, he hosted Prince Charles, picking him up from the Sacramento Executive Airport in his blue 1974 Plymouth sedan. During that visit, the governor's staff served cold roast beef and California cheeses picked up from a local deli.

Brown met Prince Charles again in 2005 in Oakland when he was the city's mayor, and later that year at a funeral in England.

Prince William and Kate began their North American visit in Canada this week. In California, they are scheduled to attend a reception the evening they arrive that will be hosted by the British consul general, Dame Barbara Hay.

The royal couple is scheduled the next day to attend a charity polo match in Santa Barbara, followed by a black-tie dinner to introduce British film talent to Hollywood executives.

They wrap up their three-day tour Sunday with a visit to an inner-city arts program and a job fair for American servicemen transitioning to civilian life.

The United Kingdom is the state's top overseas tourism market, according to the California Travel and Tourism Commission. Last year 671,000 UK travelers visited the state generating $670 million in economic activity.

Britain celebrates monarchy as Kate, William wed

With a smile that lit up TV screens around the world, Kate Middleton married Prince William in a union that promised to revitalize the British monarchy. A million people roared their approval as the royal couple then paraded through London in an open carriage.

Even knowing that an immense television audience was tuning in to watch, the couple managed, at times, to appear in their own private world Friday, both at Westminster Abbey and on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

William whispered to Kate, who radiated contentment and joy, as they pledged their lives to one another at the church with the simple words "I will."

After a ceremonial tour around London, they then delivered two � not one � sweet, slightly self-conscious kisses on the balcony, with William blushing deeply at the highly anticipated event. Within moments, a flyby of vintage and modern Royal Air Force planes roared overhead.

For much of the world, the wedding was a dramatic introduction to Middleton's beguiling star power. Despite the pressure, the 29-year-old carried the day with an easy smile, youthful exuberance and a sense of decorum that matched the event.

After the ceremony, Middleton curtsied easily before Queen Elizabeth II, comfortably sharing the stage with the woman who has reigned since 1952.

The sighting of Middleton's wedding gown � the biggest secret of the day prompted swoons of admiration as she stepped out of a Rolls-Royce with her father at the abbey. Against all odds, the sun broke through steely gray skies at precisely that moment.

Her ivory-and-white satin dress � with its plunging neckline, long lacy shoulders and sleeves and a train over 2-meters (yards) long � was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen. Middleton's hair was half-up, half-down, decorated with dramatic veil and a tiara on loan from the queen. Her dramatic diamond earrings were a gift from her parents.

"It's a dream," said Jennie Bond, a leading British monarchy expert and royal wedding consultant for The Associated Press. "It is a beautiful laced soft look, which is extremely elegant. She looked stunning."

The structured dress, which emphasized Middleton's slim figure, reminded some of the wedding dress worn by a princess from another era, the late Grace Kelly of Monaco.

William, second-in-line to the throne after his father, Prince Charles, wore the scarlet tunic of an Irish Guards officer, reinforcing his new image as a dedicated military man.

Maid of honor Pippa Middleton wore a simple column dress and naturally styled hair, while best man Prince Harry was dressed in formal military attire. The flower girls, in cream dresses with full skirts and flowers in their hair, walked down hand-in-hand with Pippa.

The couple's first royal wedding present came from the queen: the royal titles of the duke and duchess of Cambridge.

A flood of well-wishers � as well as some protesters � packed central London, especially around Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and other landmarks beginning at dawn, despite cool temperatures and the threat of rain. Cheers erupted as huge television screens began broadcasting at Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park.

"Will, it's not too late!" read one sign held aloft by an admirer dressed as a bride.

The Metropolitan Police estimated the crowd peaked at one million along the route, with around 500,000 people in and around The Mall trying to catch a glimpse of the couple's kiss.

The iconic abbey was airy and calm, the long aisle leading to the altar lined with maple and hornbeam trees as light streamed in through the high arched windows. The soft green trees framed the couple against the red carpet as they walked down the aisle, having recited their vows without stumbling before Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

The royal couple smiled broadly as they were driven to Buckingham Palace in the open-topped State Landau, a carriage built in 1902, escorted by four white horses and followed by scarlet-clad troops on horseback.

Later in the afternoon, William and Middleton delighted the crowds outside of Buckingham Palace by going out for a spin in a dark-blue Aston Martin Volante convertible festooned with ribbons, bows and balloons and bearing the ceremonial license plate "JU5T WED."

It drove down London's Mall for a couple minutes before pulling in to Clarence House, drawing cheers from the lingering crowd.

The Aston Martin has been owned since 1969 by Prince Charles, an ardent environmentalist who had the car converted so that it could run on bioethanol made from the waste matter generated by English wine production.

It was accompanied by a search-and-rescue helicopter in a special flyby. William is a serving search-and-rescue pilot on the island of Anglesey in Wales.

The palace was holding two parties, one hosted by the queen for 650 guests, and an evening dinner dance for 300 close friends. The queen and her husband have promised to go away for the evening, leaving the younger royals free to party the night away_ and Harry to make his best man's speech away from his grandparents' ears.

British singer Ellie Goulding, 24, is reportedly going to perform, and rumors have it that Harry has even planned a breakfast for those with the stamina to dance all night.

Plumage of Amazonian variety filled the cavernous abbey as some 1,900 guests filed in, the vast majority of women in hats, some a full two feet (half a meter) across or high. Several looked like dinner plates, and one woman wore a bright red fascinator that resembled a flame licking her cheek. A BBC commentator noted there were some "very odd (fashion) choices" walking through the abbey door.

Most men, however, looked elegant and suave in long tails, some highlighted by formal plaid pants and vests. Others wore military uniforms.

The queen, of course, wore a soft yellow hat and coat dress, just like the bookies had predicted.

All the details � the wedding dress, her hair, their titles, the romantic kiss on the balcony, the honeymoon � were finally being answered. But the biggest question won't be resolved for years: Will this royal couple live happily ever after?

Will their union endure like that of William's grandparents � Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, now in its 64th year � or crumble in a spectacular and mortifying fashion like that of his own parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana?

Recent history augurs badly: The first marriages of three of the queen's four children ended in divorce. But William and Kate seem to glow with happiness in each other's company, and unlike Charles and Diana they've had eight years to figure out that they want to be together.

Still, the fate of their marriage depends on private matters impossible for the public to gauge, since any wedding is fundamentally about two people. Will their lives together, starting with such high hopes, be blessed by good fortune, children, good health, productive work?

Much will depend on whether 28-year-old William and 29-year-old Kate can summon the things every couple needs: patience, love, wit and wisdom. But they face the twin burdens of fame and scrutiny. Money, power, beauty it can all go wrong if not carefully nurtured.

These are the thorny issues upon which the fate of the monarchy rests, as the remarkable queen, now 85, inevitably ages and declines.

Hundreds of street parties were under way as Britons celebrated the heritage that makes them unique � and overseas visitors came to witness those traditions.

Brenda Hunt-Stevenson, a 56-year-old retired teacher from Newfoundland, Canada, said there was only one thing on her mind. "I want to see that kiss on that balcony. That's going to clinch it for me. I don't care what Kate wears. She is beautiful anyway."

The celebration was British to the core, from the freshly polished horse-drawn carriages to the sausages and lager served at street parties. Some pubs opened early in the morning, offering beer and English breakfasts sausages, beans, toast, fried eggs and bacon.

Police said they had arrested 43 people for offenses including drunkenness, breach of peace, and theft.

The festivities reflected Britons' continuing fascination with the royal family, which despite its foibles remains a powerful symbol of unity and pride.

"It's very exciting," Prime Minister David Cameron said. "I went on to the mall last night and met some people sleeping on the streets. There's a sense of excitement that you can't really put a word to ... it's a chance to celebrate."

Others disagreed. John Deery, 45, from west London, described the royal family as "unjustifiable" in the modern day and age.

"What I want is a democratic alternative to the monarchy," he said.

A number of famous people were left off the guest list, including President Barack Obama and Britain's last two prime ministers, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown of the Labour Party, which is not as strong a backer of the monarchy as the governing Conservatives. Some critics call that a snub which could resonate for years among Labour voters.

The royals fervently hope that a joyous union for William and Kate will erase the squalid memories of his parents' embarrassing confessions of adultery as their marriage tumbled toward divorce.

And there is no small irony in the sight of Americans waking up before dawn (on the East Coast) or staying up all night (West Coast) after their fellow countrymen fought so fiercely centuries ago to throw off the yoke of the British monarchy and proclaim a country in which all men are created equal.

Brenda Mordic, 61, from Columbus, Georgia, clutched a Union Jack with her friend Annette Adams, 66.

"We came for the excitement of everything," Mordic said. "We watched William grow up. I came for Prince Charles' wedding to Diana and I came for Princess Diana's funeral. We love royalty England and London."

Sometime after the ceremony, a television caught a church official at the abbey doing a cartwheel between the abandoned chairs. The footage, rebroadcast on national television, drew amused commentary from announcers. The abbey confirmed that the cartwheeler was a verger the name given to a church official such as an usher or a sacristan but refused to give his name.

Kate wears dress by McQueen designer

Smiling broadly and waving to the cheering crowd outside Westminster Abbey, the 29-year-old clutched a bouquet of flowers that included Sweet William. Inside, her groom Prince William showed his appreciation, mouthing: "You look beautiful."

Burton, the 36-year-old creative director of fashion house Alexander McQueen, had long been tipped for the commission, but palace officials had remained tight-lipped right up until the moment Kate stepped out of the car.

They said the bride has "worked closely" with Burton in formulating the design, which she wanted to "combine tradition and modernity".

In a design that echoed the dress worn by Grace Kelly when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, Kate's gown had long sleeves in lace which drew down over the ivory satin bodice to form a V-neckline.

The bodice narrowed at her tiny waist and was padded at the hips, flaring to a skirt resembling an open flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats.

Her train measured 2.7 metres (8.8 feet) relatively short by royal standards, particularly Princess Diana's, which was 25-feet long (7.6 metres).

The train and bodice were adorned by delicate lace applique flowers, in a unique design that incorporated the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock the four floral emblems of the United Kingdom.

Members of the Royal School of Needlework worked on the intricate lace detailing, washing their hands every 30 minutes to keep it pristine, and changing their needles every three hours to keep them sharp.

"It's a bridal gown of very refined detail, much more refined than the one Diana wore" at her marriage to William's father Prince Charles in 1981, commented German couturier Karl Lagerfeld, adding: "It's very pretty."

Harriet Quick, fashion features director at Vogue, said: "It is absolutely beautiful and very restrained and quite modest in many ways.

"It has lots of echoes of Grace Kelly's wedding dress but I think Sarah Burton's created something really beautiful for her, with a very simple veil, the incredible lace and that prettiest of necklines."

Kate's veil was made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers. It fell to just below her waist, held in place by a Cartier tiara lent to her by Prince William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Related article: Queen wins cheers in yellow

Her diamond earrings, a gift from her parents, evoked her family's new coat of arms with an oak leaf design. On her feet, she wore hand-made Alexander McQueen shoes made of ivory duchesse satin and lace.

Kate held a bouquet containing lily of the valley, which symbolises the return of happiness; sweet William, which means gallantry; hyacinth, constancy of love; ivy, fidelity; and myrtle, the emblem of love and marriage.

Burton also created the dress for Kate's sister Pippa, 26, who was her maid of honour. It was simple and elegant, made of heavy ivory satin-based crape with the same button detail and lace trims as the bride's dress.

The designer said Kate looked "absolutely stunning".

"It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it," she said, adding that it had been "such an incredible honour to be asked".

The dress was the work of skilled workmanship from across Britain, and Burton paid tribute in her design to the Arts and Crafts tradition.

Burton took over as creative director after Alexander Lee McQueen committed suicide in February 2010. The 36-year-old graduate of Central St Martin's fashion college had worked side by side with him for 14 years.

The dress is expected to spawn a thousand reproductions.

Elizabeth Emanuel, who created Diana's fairytale ivory silk taffeta wedding gown in 1981 with her husband David, is still being asked to make copies.

"There are going to be people watching as she walks down the aisle with their sketch pads, with the machinists and pattern cutters all ready and waiting. By the next morning you'll see copies in the high street," she said.

Kate's wedding dress by Sarah Burton

As a smiling Kate Middleton entered Westminster Abbey to meet Prince William, officials confirmed long speculation that Burton had made her dress. They had previously refused to give even the slightest detail about it.

"Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueens work," officials said in a statement.

"Miss Middleton worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress."

They said the dress made with ivory and white satin gazar, with a train measuring 2.7 metres (8.8 feet) and lace sleeves, "epitomises timeless British craftsmanship".

The bride had also borrowed a tiara loaned to her by Prince William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Burton took over as creative director at the label after McQueen committed suicide in February 2010. She had previously worked side by side with him for 14 years.

The 36-year-old graduate of Central St Martin's had long been tipped as the wedding dress designer.

A woman wearing a studded leather belt doubled through the loops of her jeans, in a fashion identical to the one favoured by Burton, was photographed on Thursday evening slipping into the Goring Hotel where Kate was staying.

Her head was hidden under a huge fur hat in an attempt to avoid identification.

The dress is expected to spawn a thousand reproductions.

Elizabeth Emanuel, who created Diana's fairytale wedding gown in 1981 with her husband David, is still being asked to make copies of that gown, an ivory silk taffeta frock with a 25-foot (7.6-metre) long train.

"Exactly as it happened in 1981, there are going to be people watching as she walks down the aisle with their sketch pads, with the machinists and pattern cutters all ready and waiting. By the next morning you'll see copies in the high street," Emanuel said.

Television brings wedding pageantry to world

Like guests who whisper asides to their friends from the back pews, the commoners in the media kept the mood lighthearted Friday as cameras captured every angle of the royal wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Millions followed the event throughout the world on television, their computers and hand-held devices. The media enabled anyone who cared to become a wedding guest.

"At this moment every woman in the world envies Kate," a blogger who writes under the pen name Xiao Luolo said on China's Internet news portal Sohu.

Without a royal title, royal friendship or celebrity pedigree, few made it into the ceremony in person. Yet the cameras made it a remarkably intimate event: You could see William struggle slightly to fit a ring on his new wife's finger and the choir singer who neglected to shave in the morning. You wondered whether William's heavy eyelids indicated he would drift off during the service. He didn't.

Even the private moments truly weren't. Media members used lip-readers to suggest that William joked on the altar to his father-in-law, "We were supposed to have just a small family affair."

"I've been crying," said Jenny Crwys-Williams of South Africa's Radio 702, where the wedding dominated the media in early afternoon there. "I don't think anyone who's watching the ceremony hasn't been crying."

Media members studied up on royal trivia, and commentators stood at the ready to opine on Middleton's dress and tiara. The verdict was mostly thumbs-up, with magazine editor Tina Brown, working for ABC News in the U.S., calling the gown "deceptively sexy."

"Doesn't she look gorgeous?" asked ABC's Barbara Walters.

The bride's always a star on her wedding day, so much so that NBC's Martin Bashir even seemed impressed that Middleton could hold a bouquet in one hand and wave with the other as she was driven through the crowds to Westminster Abbey.

During the ceremony, a cheer from the crowd outside could faintly be heard at the moment the couple officially married.

"We hope you could hear the roar of England at that moment," ABC's Diane Sawyer said.

Wedding coverage started at 4 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast, and was a late-late night affair out West. Commentators kept mostly quiet during the ceremony, usually adding brief asides � like when CBS' Katie Couric noted that William wouldn't be wearing a ring, unlike his wife.

After the ceremony and the carriage rides to Buckingham Palace, things got a little giddy. NBC's "Today" show ran a ticking "countdown to the kiss" clock for when William and Kate were expected to appear on a balcony and share a smooch for the crowd below. Then it happened so quickly the cameras almost missed it.

"That was a peck!" complained Meredith Vieira.

NBC ran a slow-motion replay of the kiss before the couple bowed to pressure from the chanting crowd to kiss again. "Yeah, that's it," an approving Vieira said.

Television networks viewed the event as a respite, and the world's woes rarely intruded upon their coverage. NBC's top anchor Brian Williams was absent, however, after flying back to the United States before the wedding to anchor news coverage of the South's deadly tornado outbreak.

Couric wore a striking pink jacket for what is likely her last major news event at CBS (she's stepping down as anchor in the coming weeks). She looked comfortable in a setting that reflected her time on morning television at the "Today" show and allowed her to flash some irreverence. She reported about the queen conferring long new titles upon her grandson and his bride.

"What the heck does that mean?" she asked a dour-faced historian sitting beside her.

Her former NBC colleague, Matt Lauer, read the titles and joked that it was going to require "a business card seven and a half inches long. It's going to be huge." Befitting their status as American television's most popular morning show, the "Today" team sat behind a desk decorated with their show's name topped by a crown.

Brits brought on to the American networks were noticeably most excited by the event. ABC's "royal correspondent" Katie Nicholl seemed heavily caffeinated next to Sawyer and Walters. Former London tabloid editor Piers Morgan, Larry King's replacement in CNN's prime time, was the centerpiece for the news network's coverage.

"I actually got goose bumps," Morgan said, noting that his 13-year-old son had just texted "happy wedding day" to him.

Fashion was a central focus as the royal guests arrived. Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith noted the tall blue perch of a woman who arrived at the abbey with a man who looked like actor Rainn Wilson of "The Office."

"I don't know where she got that hat, but you know it's going to be a big seller," said the jaunty Smith, who earlier adopted what seemed to be an exaggerated Winston Churchill impersonation in asking Steve Doocy to fill him in on the weather for "this royal morning here across the pond."

On CNN, Morgan announced the breaking news update that soccer star David Beckham was wearing a Ralph Lauren suit.

"As am I," broadcast partner Anderson Cooper interjected.

ABC's team, seemingly armed with books full of facts, chatted about wedding trains worn by royal brides in the past. Brown noted the trouble that Williams' mother, Princess Diana, had with the large headgear she wore for her wedding.

"The bridesmaids were told, time and time again, not to trod on the train," she said.

CBS took a different approach to avoid much of the dead time of small talk as guests were arriving. It broke away for an extended look back at Diana and Prince Charles' wedding in 1981.

Diana's wedding provided an important backdrop to coverage in the former British colony of Hong Kong, where the wedding was telecast in the late afternoon and early evening.

"It is exactly because Princess Diana provided the first installment, people realized, `Oh, marrying into the royal family isn't that great,'" Anny Chong said on Hong Kong's Cantonese-language Cable TV. "Firstly, now everyone wants to compare Prince William to his mother and secondly, people want to see if Kate will end up like her mother-in-law after becoming a duchess. There is a lot of suspense."

Princess Kate Middleton News

Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Middleton (born 9 January 1982) is the fiancee  of Prince William of Wales.Their wedding  is to take place on 29 April 2011. Middleton grew up in Chapel Row at Buckle bury, Berkshire, England, and studied in Scotland at the University of St Adrews, where she met Prince William in 2001. They started a romantic relationship that continued until a break-up lasting for several months in 2007. However, they continued to be friends and rekindled their relationship later that year.

Princess  Kate Middleton

Princess  Kate Middleton

Princess  Kate Middleton

Princess  Kate Middleton

Princess  Kate Middleton

Princess  Kate Middleton

Princess  Kate Middleton

Princess  Kate Middleton

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British royals go digital for wedding

The man not yet king of England is facing his sternest test yet. Public expectations are high. The event is to be played out across a challenging new medium of communication, and the family turns to professionals for help.

Is it the story of William Windsor and a certain royal wedding circa 2011? Or is it 'Bertie' Windsor and the King's Speech, made to the nation in 1939 on the then new-fangled medium of radio?

When Prince William and Kate Middleton marry on April 29, they will be the 16th royal couple to wed in Westminster Abbey -- but they will be the first to have their nuptials played out, in real time, as a global web event.

In a sign of the digital times, William's official residence, Clarence House, in November chose Twitter, along with an old-fashioned press release, to announce his engagement to his university sweetheart.

With over 28,000 followers on the microblogging site, the @ClarenceHouse page has been regularly used to reveal details about the ceremony.

The royals also have channels on Facebook, YouTube and the photo-sharing Flickr site -- although their online popularity lags behind that of Jordan's Queen Rania, who has nearly one-and-a-half million followers on Twitter and more than 600,000 fans on Facebook.

The British royal family have just over 323,000 "likes" on the site.

Communicating its message to its subjects is nothing new for the royal family -- it has been part of the monarchy's arsenal since the days of Henry V at Agincourt and Elizabeth I rallying the troops before the Armada.

The first radio speeches introduced to the future George VI in the 1930s were a landmark change, followed by TV chats, and today, full-blown online communication.

"In using these social media sites we are able to communicate with a wider audience in new and creative ways," Nick Loughran, press officer to Prince William, told AFP.

Tim Jordan, senior lecturer in media at King's College London, says the web helps the publicly-funded monarchy to justify its existence in a time of deep economic malaise.

"They're using the Facebook and Twitter pages to make it clear how much work they do, particularly the more minor members of the royal family who don't get so much media attention elsewhere," he told AFP.

He said the Facebook page allows the royalty to gather public feedback on their activities, noting that its administrators do not always remove derogatory comments.

For Charlie Beckett, director of the POLIS media think tank, this two-way communication is a crucial means for the royal family to regain legitimacy lost after the death of William's mother Princess Diana in a 1997 car crash.

The royals caused a huge public outcry by refusing, initially at least, to publicly express any grief over the death of Diana, who was by that time divorced from heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles.

Public opinion was "teetering on the republican" side, says Beckett, adding: "The royal family never wants to be seen as out of touch again.

"This allows them to say to the British public, 'Come and post comments, even if you are a bit cross with us we are human, we are friendly.'"

But the rise of social media may work against the royal family.

Anti-monarchists are using Facebook to organise protests against the cost of the wedding, amid steep public spending cuts by the coalition government. So far more than 500 people have signed up for a rally on the big day.

Other web-users simply see the wedding as a chance to have some royal fun.

More than 120,000 people have joined a Facebook group called "Royal Wedding Drinking Game", allowing members to post commands to drinkers watching the proceedings on television.

Spoof accounts are also creeping onto the main social networking sites. One cheeky Twitter page, @William_HRH, has over 10,000 followers. "Dear deluded subjects, if you have yet to receive your invitation, chances are you never will," the faux prince tweets.

Jordan expects the wedding to be among the top trending topics on Twitter on the day, adding: "I expect 'Kate Middleton's hair' will be a popular topic."

An official mobile phone app telling the story of seven past royal weddings has been released but it will have to compete with a host of unofficial apps, ranging from photo galleries to clocks counting down to the big day.

Meanwhile an audio recording of the wedding ceremony will be available for almost instant download on iTunes, and officials are considering streaming the event live on the official website.

Traditionalists need not worry that the pace of technological change in the royal household is out of control, however. "Save-the-date" notices to European royals were sent out, 1980s style, by fax.

Kate Middleton "It's a Nice Day for a Black Wedding Dress?"

Back in early January, Kate Middleton caused a royal scandal by wearing black to a friend's wedding. She is not alone in creating a first faux pas as a newly engaged royal. Her late future mother-in-law, Princess Diana, was literally in the same shoes as Kate wearing black to an event.

The so-called shocking ensemble comprised of dark colors, with a velvet coat. Some British reporters wonder if she'll wear black on her wedding day. Once upon a time white was not the acceptable wedding color. The color black is now becoming more appreciated and fashionable as a wedding dress color. Black makes one look slimmer. Who knows what color Kate's dress will be on April 29?

It all started with her propensity for wearing dark colors to her royal friends, Harry Aubrey's and Louise Stourton's, wedding in Yorkshire, England, on Jan. 8. Prince William, Prince Harry and Princess Beatrice, the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of West Yorksire, were also in attendance. This was a royal family outing as William was an usher.

Kate's wedding guest ensemble featured a black pillbox hat, black velvet Libelula topcoat and a black dress that was above the knee with a sheer neckline. Traditionally, the royals only wear black for funerals. Shortly after she was engaged to Prince Charles, Diana caused quite a stir by wearing a long black gown with a revealing neckline to an official event.

This is not a color one would think to have as a wedding dress, though it is gaining acceptance little by little. They now come in all types of styles for the average bride. The traditional white wedding gown is becoming more antiquated as it is meant to be for purity and a virgin.

One of the all-time classic fashion pieces is the little black dress. Black is a hugely popular color to wear in the evenings. Economically speaking, another reason more and more brides are going for black wedding dresses is they can wear it for other occasions. It is nearly impossible to find another way to wear a white wedding dress.

Wearing different colors, such as red, as a wedding dress is catching on. Some brides may want to wear their favorite color, which isn't surprising if Kate decides on this trend. Times have greatly changed when Charles and Diana got married in 1981. Not only that, Prince William is not in direct line to the throne yet. Hopefully, royal traditions will be a bit relaxed for William and Kate as this isn't a state occasion.