All times EST, British time is four hours later…
5:30a – Carole Middleton – the mother of the bride – making her way to Westminster Abbey.
5:31a – Don’t think I can remember seeing British royals aristocrats taking shuttle buses before.
5:33a – Carole Middleton arrives at Westminster. She was accompanied by her son James Middleton.
5:37a – Several members of the British royal family entering Westminster Abbey.
5:40a – Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, heading over to Westminster Abbey.
5:42a – The Queen and Prince Philip leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey.
Prince Andrew and his daughters with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have arrived. See this tweet from CNN’s Richard Greene:
“Uncontrollable laughter in newsroom as Princess Beatrice arrives “wearing a firework in her hair,” according to one of the kinder reviews.”
5:46a – The gang’s all here… Now all eyes – and cameras – are on the Goring Hotel for Kate Middleton’s departure and glimpse of the dress.
5:49a – Another good catch from Richard Greene on Twitter. Check out this royal typo:
BAHAHAHAHAHA. The sown/sewn typo in the @geoffhillcnn tweet about the Queen’s dress is @ClarenceHouse‘s, not his.
5:51a – Kate Middleton and her father are leaving the hotel for Westminster Abbey.
6:01a – Like clockwork, Kate Middleton and her father have arrived at Westminster Abbey. Bells ringing all over London.
6:02a – Clarence House spills the beans on Kate’s wedding dress via Twitter: designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.
6:05a – Game on… Kate Middleton being walked down the aisle by her father.
6:10a – Some context from CNN’s Piers Morgan: the hymn being sung now was the final hymn sung at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997, which also took place at Westminster Abbey. According to CBS Radio, it is a Welsh hymn titled Cwn Rhondda.
6:11a – ABC’s Diane Sawyer reports:
Diane Sawyer: “In case you missed it we saw Prince William say ‘you look beautiful'” #royalwedding
6:16a – William and Kate taking their marriage vows.
6:19a – William has a little trouble getting the ring on Kate’s finger but finally manages. William himself will not be wearing a wedding band.
6:21a – It’s official… Prince William and Kate are now married.
6:28a – More from Piers Morgan: a special choral anthem commissioned as wedding gift being performed now.
6:32a – Address delivered by the Bishop of London.
6:35a – Just found out that Westminster Abbey is on Twitter. A useful resource for following the ceremony.
6:43a – Seeing all this brings a Peter Gabriel lyric to mind (albeit in a different and happier context): “And the eyes of the world are watching you now.”
6:48a – From CNN’s Piers Morgan: The hymn “Jerusalem” by William Blake is being performed. English rugby fans – including Prince William – will know this word for word.
6:52a – The British national anthem – “God Save the Queen” – now being performed inside the abbey. No, it’s not the Sex Pistols version, unfortunately.
6:54a – Multiple observers have pointed out that everyone inside the abbey was singing “God Save the Queen” except… the Queen herself.
6:55a – TIME Magazine reports:
William joked to his father-in-law at altar: “We were supposed to have just a small family affair”
6:59a – Canadian broadcaster CTV reports:
According to a colleague, when Harry looked back as Kate was walking down the aisle, he said to Will, “Wait ’til you see her.” Sweet
7:05a – The newly married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are filing out of the abbey.
7:09a – Crowds cheer and bells ringing all over London as William and Kate exit Westminster Abbey.
7:11a – William and Kate leave Westminster in an open-air carriage en route for Buckingham Palace. Carole Middleton, Camilla Parker-Bowles (William’s stepmother) and the Queen seen chatting outside Westminster Abbey.
7:15a – The Queen and Prince Philip follow, heading to Buckingham Palace in their own carriage.
7:22a – Carriage procession approaching Buckingham Palace.
7:38a – CNN’s Richard Quest points out that the bells will be ringing for the next three hours.
7:44a – CNN’s Piers Morgan said this earlier and he’s absolutely right: the Brits do pomp and pageantry better than anybody.
Icepicks and Nukes 