Will Kate-William break Charles-Diana TV record?

London, April 28: As Prince William and Kate Middleton went through their paces in a rehearsal at the Westminster Abbey, thousands of people converged on London to watch on Friday's grand wedding - many camped overnight in public places to ensure the best view.

Many journalists and media experts expect the event to break the audience record set by the Prince Charles-Diana Spencer of 750 million television viewers across the world.

An audience figure of nearly 2 billion for the event is already being discussed as thousands of journalists from all over the world take up key positions and conjure up their best lines to describe the fairytale romance of the event tomorrow.

"We have got every angle covered", promises Sky News, which will begin its coverage at 6 am (GMT) tomorrow (the actual wedding is scheduled for 11 am).

Similar arrangements have been made by BBC and other global news organisations.

Every aspect of the day has been rehearsed and gone through in fine details: security, procession, religious rites at the Abbey, food, wines, and dress.

After the wedding at the Abbey, as in the case of Prince Charles-Diana wedding, there is expected to be a chorus of demands from the thousands gathered below the Buckingham palace balcony for the new royal couple to kiss.

Queen Elizabeth is hosting an event for British and foreign royals tonight. Nearly 50 foreign heads of state are among the 1,900 invited guests attending the wedding.

Tourism body VisitBritain believes that an extra 600,000 people will be in London tomorrow, with many royal enthusiasts already beginning to pitch tents outside the Abbey.

At 11 am tomorrow, a souvenir wedding programme will be available for downloading from the official Royal Wedding website.

The booklet will be also be sold for 2 pound a copy along the processional route on the day of the wedding.

A carriage procession will pass along The Mall, Horse Guards Road, Horse Guards Parade, through Horse Guards Arch, along Whitehall, along the south side of Parliament Square and into Broad Sanctuary.

The weather office said there was a 70 per cent chance of rain tomorrow, with heavier showers more likely later in the day.

PTI