Kate Middleton to forgo horse-drawn carriage

LONDON — The fairy-tale royal wedding is getting a modern update: Instead of the traditional horse-drawn carriage, Kate Middleton will travel to the church by car, palace officials announced on Wednesday. 

Other official details about the wedding revealed that Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams will marry Prince William and Middleton, and the Dean of Westminster will conduct the service. The Bishop of London, a close friend of Prince Charles who delivered the eulogy at Princess Diana's funeral, will give the address.

Royal commentators said the decision for Middleton to arrive at the church by car, rather than by carriage, was an example of the families trying to keep costs down at a time when Britain is facing sharp cuts in public spending. The image of the princess-to-be arriving on four wheels will stand in stark contrast to the iconic images of Diana arriving at the church in a carriage.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at Westminster Abbey. After the wedding, the newlyweds will travel by carriage along a processional route to Buckingham Palace.

Vote: Is a horse-drawn carriage sweet or old-fashioned?

The route will take them through Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade and the Mall and is likely to be thronged with well-wishers eager for a glimpse of the couple.

Queen Elizabeth II will then host a reception for the couple at Buckingham Palace, with guests drawn from the wedding congregation.

Prince Charles will host a dinner and dancing for the couple and their close friends that night, royal officials said.

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