Westminster Abbey, site of the royal wedding

Prince William and Kate Middleton will become part of more than 1,000 years of history when they wed Friday at the famed London church.

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April 28, 2011

Prince William's fiancee Kate Middleton, center, leaves Westminster Abbey with her mother, Carole, and Prince Harry, third from right, en route to Clarence House in London.

Toby Melville / Reuters

April 28, 2011

Britain's Prince Harry, left, and Kate Middleton leave Westminster Abbey after a wedding rehearsal, in central London.

Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

April 28, 2011

Tina Pittock from Aldershot, England, poses while camped outside Westminster Abbey one day before the wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Kevin Coombs / Reuters

April 28, 2011

Tents line the street outside the entrance to Westminster Abbey, the venue for the Royal Wedding.

Phil Noble / Reuters

April 27, 2011

U.K. residents Terry Hutt of Cambridge and Julie Cain of New Castle deck out and camp out for the royal wedding in front of Westminster Abbey in London.

Linda Davidson / The Washington Post

April 27, 2011

Left to right: U.K. residents Rosalind Osborne, Tina Pittock and Cynthia Fisher pitched their tent and are camping out for the royal wedding in front of Westminster Abbey.

Linda Davidson / The Washington Post

April 27, 2011

Anne Daley of Wales and her King Charles spaniel "Camilla" camp out for the royal wedding in front of Westminster Abbey.

Linda Davidson / The Washington Post

April 27, 2011

Police carry out final security checks prior to Prince William and Kate Middleton visiting Westminster Abbey for a final rehearsal in London.

Matt Cardy / Getty Images

April 27, 2011

Two women pose with Union Jack flags close to Westminster Abbey.

Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP/Getty Images

April 27, 2011

Onlookers and revelers camping in front of Westminster Abbey.

Gero Breloer / AP

April 27, 2011

Royal enthusiast Margaret Ford from Wales camps across the road from Westminster Abbey to ensure the best viewing spot for the royal wedding.

Lefteris Pitarakis / AP

April 27, 2011

Soldiers ride horses outside the entrance to Westminster Abbey in London. Members of Britain's armed forces staged a rehearsal at dawn to prepare for their role in escorting Prince William and his soon-to-be bride Kate Middleton on their wedding day on April 29.

Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters

April 27, 2011

Soldiers on horseback staging a rehearsal are watched by royalty fans camping out in front of Westminster Abbey.

Phil Noble / Reuters

April 27, 2011

A royal fan wraps up in his sleeping bag as he camps outside Westminster Abbey awaiting the royal wedding between Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton.

Carl Court / AFP/Getty Images

April 27, 2011

A royal fan brushes her teeth as she camps outside London's Westminster Abbey.

Carl Court / AFP/Getty Images

April 27, 2011

Royal fan Terry Hutt sits outside his tent at Westminster Abbey as he watches a military dress rehearsal for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

April 27, 2011

Members of Britain's Royal Navy take part in a dress rehearsal outside Westminster Abbey for the royal wedding between Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton. Up to 1,000 members of the British military attended a pre-dawn rehearsal for the royal wedding on Wednesday.

Carl Court / AFP/Getty Images

April 27, 2011

A member of National Association of Flower Arranging Societies prepares flowers in Westminster Abbey.

Sang Tan / AP

April 27, 2011

Wendy Davis, left, and Norma Dobney, members of National Association of Flower Arranging Societies, prepare lilacs in Westminster Abbey for the royal wedding.

Sang Tan / AP

April 26, 2011

Diane Basilius from Grand Rapids, Mich., fixes a British flag outside of her new tent in front of Westminster Abbey. Basilius arrived from the U.S. for the royal wedding and bought a tent spontaneously to camp outside the Abbey.

Gero Breloer / AP

April 26, 2011

Workers put up an English field maple tree in Westminster Abbey in preparation for the royal wedding.

Sang Tan / AP

April 26, 2011

Police check a media stand outside Westminster Abbey in London a few days before the wedding. The abbey has been the church for Britain's coronations since 1066 and is the burial place for 17 monarchs.

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

April 26, 2011

Members of the media adjust a TV camera on Westminster Abbey in London. About a third of the world's population is expected to watch the royal wedding.

Lefteris Pitarakis / AP

April 26, 2011

A British police officer inspects tubes to be used to built a scaffolded stage reserved for media outside Westminster Abbey. Benedictine monks first came to the site of the abbey to worship in the 10th century, and the current church was begun by Henry III in 1245.

Lefteris Pitarakis / AP

April 26, 2011

British police officers use a microcamera to inspect the inner tubes of scaffolding reserved for media outside Westminster Abbey. The abbey has a long association with the British monarchy, and as a "royal peculiar," it is exempt from any ecclesiastical jurisdiction outside that of the sovereign.

Lefteris Pitarakis / AP

April 26, 2011

Armed police officers patrol a side street near Westminster Abbey ahead of the royal wedding. The abbey's preparations for the wedding have been intense, and it has even released a smartphone app related to the wedding.

Andrew Winning / Reuters

April 26, 2011

Royalty fan John Loughrey poses for journalists outside Westminster Abbey. Loughrey plans to camp outside the Abbey to get a good view of Prince William and Kate Middleton on their wedding day.

Andrew Winning / Reuters

April 26, 2011

Gwen Murray, 76, a knitter and fan of the royals, was the second person to start to camp out on the streets outside Westminster Abbey to wait for the start of the royal wedding. Although about 1,900 guests have been invited to the ceremony at the abbey, half of them will have restricted views of the altar and will have to follow the service on video screens.

Matthew Lloyd / Getty Images

April 26, 2011

Tourists wait in line to enter Westminster Abbey. The abbey has hosted 15 royal weddings over its history.

Lefteris Pitarakis / AP

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