ROYAL WEDDING DATE AND VENUE ANNOUNCED

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Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced the date and venue for their wedding next year.

They will be married on Friday, April 29, at Westminster Abbey.

The date is the Feast of St Catherine.

The Cabinet agreed this morning that the day will be a public holiday.

A senior Royal aide said the couple chose the Abbey because of its Royal history. The bells there began to peal following the announcement at noon.

Some heads of state will be attending but exactly who has not been decided. The ceremony is being described as a "semi-state" affair.

William has still to decide who will be his best man, and the guest list has not been finalised.

The Royal family and the Middletons will pay for the wedding out of private money, said the aide.

The couple have not decided yet whether to use carriages or cars. The weather will play a part in that decision.

Sources say the couple are taking a firm role in organising the day and are described as being "on cloud nine".

The aide said Miss Middleton wants to keep her dress a secret from William.

Sky's Royal correspondent Sarah Hughes said: "The venue was an obvious choice for the couple - it was always where they had in mind because it is steeped in royal history, because it is so staggeringly beautiful and because it also has a sense of intimacy despite its grand scale.

"It's the date that was more tricky. Prince William and Kate always wanted a spring wedding. But much of April is taken up with Lent and May is a very busy state calendar.

"In the end, the Feast of St Catherine proved a very fitting date.

"William and Kate are very much involved in the planning of this. They are making the decisions alongside their advisers.

"It is their day, we were told repeatedly, they are calling the shots, they've given very clear direction on what sort of day they want this to be."

Sky's Royal commentator Alastair Bruce said: "The Abbey has had a great tradition of royal weddings and it's a place close to where William may one day be crowned King."

SKYNEWS