18 Nov 2010

Westminster Abbey tipped as venue for Royal wedding

6:58 am on 18 November 2010

There is growing speculation in Britain that Prince William and Kate Middleton will choose Westminster Abbey and the month of July for their wedding ceremony next year.

The two announced their engagement on Tuesday.

The announcement ended months of speculation for the couple, both 28, who have been together for eight years after meeting while students at St Andrews University, Fife.

The wedding will take place in London and the couple will then live in North Wales, where the prince, who is second in line to the throne, is serving with the RAF.

Speculation about the wedding venue has focused on Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral and the smaller Guards Chapel, where the 10th anniversary memorial service for Princess Diana took place.

A Clarence House spokesman said: "Prince William and Miss Middleton have spent the morning in meetings with household staff about the wedding.

"An announcement about the venue and date will be made in due course after other members of the Royal Family, Mr and Mrs Middleton and the government have been consulted."

Holiday proposal

The prince revealed during in a joint television interview on Tuesday that he had proposed while on holiday in Kenya in October.

He also said he gave Kate his mother Diana's engagement ring having carried it in a rucksack for three weeks.

The BBC reports he revealed he had asked Kate's father for her hand in marriage after he had asked her.

Miss Middleton is the eldest child of Michael and Carol Middleton, who run a mail-order business selling toys and games for children's parties.

The prince and Miss Middleton shared their university accommodation with friends and were revealed to be dating in 2005 where they were photographed on the Swiss ski slopes of Klosters. They split briefly in 2007.