Brief stories from Britain's royal wedding - Bangkok Post

A round-up of brief stories Thursday on the eve of the wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton:

LONDON: Prince Harry may not have to tone down his best man's speech as much as expected.

Royal officials said Queen Elizabeth II would leave Buckingham Palace after hosting a lunchtime reception, meaning she will miss an evening wedding dinner hosted by Prince Charles for 300 close friends and family.

"The queen will host the lunchtime reception and then the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh (her husband Prince Philip) will depart for a private weekend," a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said.

Harry, William's younger brother, had said during series of television interviews last month that he would have to be "selective" in his speech, which he plans to make with a couple of William's friends.

"I will have a few stories but my grandmother will be there so I will have to, er, be selective," he said.

"The speech will be like any best man's speech, between the three of us we will make sure people know the good times and bad times since he was a nipper." (AFP)

LONDON: Prince William's stepmother Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, told well-wishers in central London on Thursday that the royal family were "all ready" for the wedding.

Camilla, the second wife of William's father Prince Charles, headed out to meet people waiting on The Mall, the huge boulevard leading to Buckingham Palace.

"We're all ready for tomorrow -- it's wonderful and all very exciting!" Camilla said when asked how she was feeling, according to a statement released by royal officials.

"There's a great atmosphere out here and it's so nice to meet people and see how the celebrations are getting under way." (AFP)

HOLLYWOOD: The Tinsel Town outpost of waxworks museum Madame Tussauds is holding a Wills and Kate wedding party on Hollywood Boulevard, in the small hours on the US West Coast.

A giant screen will broadcast the London events live from 1:00 am on Friday -- Los Angeles is eight hours behind Britain, so Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding service starts at 3:00 am local time.

"Outside of London, this could be one of the major gathering spots in America for stateside consumption of the wedding," said Madame Tussauds Hollywood general manager Colin Thomas.

To add flavor to the festivities, the waxworks of some of the real guests -- including Elton John and David Beckham -- will be at the Hollywood event.

"It's a once in a lifetime chance to experience history, as it happens, among fellow anglophiles in a bigger than life 'only-in Hollywood' type setting," said Thomas.

A number of British pubs in Los Angeles, including the Cat and Fiddle on Sunset Boulevard, and the White Harte in nearby Woodland Hills, are also holding all-night parties. (AFP)

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