Rio dazzles with scintillating Carnival

Rio dazzles with scintillating Carnival - Rio wrapped up two nights of beautifully choreographed parades at its iconic Sambadrome early Tuesday, in a dazzling climax to its famed Carnival celebrations.

With bursts of fireworks, high-decibel music and a kaleidoscope of colors,, the city's top 13 samba schools treated a capacity crowd of 72,500 at the newly renovated "temple of Samba" to stunning processions of exquisitely decorated allegorical floats and lavishly costumed performers.

Rio dazzles with scintillating Carnival

The night parades had it all: captivating samba beats, superb percussionists, imaginative choreography, masterful execution and the beguiling sex appeal of gorgeous women wearing colorful feathers and little else.

They marked the high point of the pre-Lent festival, a holiday that provides a rare moment of national communion and over-the-top merry-making in this huge and racially diverse country of 191 million people.

The parades, a major draw for foreign tourists, cemented the Rio Carnival's reputation as "the greatest show on earth".

Seats at the open-air Sambadrome cost between $50 and several thousand dollars, depending on whether one sits on packed benches in the open or in air-conditioned VIP boxes stocked with champagne.

Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez was one of several foreign celebrities to lend their star power to the event, appearing late Sunday in skinny red jeans and a sequined top.

There had been fears that unrest in Brazil's state police force might disrupt the festivities in Salvador, the capital of the northeast state of Bahia, and Rio, but police strikes in those cities were settled just in time.

The only notable incident was a Rio shootout between police and a drug gang that left one person dead and four wounded in a slum located two miles (3.2 km) from the Sambadrome

As in previous years, Salvador de Bahia led the way Thursday, with hundreds of thousands of revelers pouring into the streets of Brazil's third largest city and heart of its rich Afro-Brazilian culture to dance and celebrate.

Rio followed a day later when Milton Junior -- better known as King Momo, the Rio Carnival's chubby symbol of excess -- received a giant key to the city and declared the festivities open.

Friday and Saturday, Sao Paulo, Brazil's economic capital, staged spectacular parades at its own sambadrome, notably paying tribute to Afro-Brazilian culture and honoring popular former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is recovering from cancer radiation therapy.

A key feature of the Carnival in Brazil is the numerous street parties held in cities, towns and villages, where beer consumption soars.

In Rio, more than two million revelers in outlandish costumes flooded the city center Saturday to join Cordao da Bola Preta -- one of the city's oldest and most popular street bands -- in a mammoth, frenzied samba-driven bash.

On Monday night Sao Clemente, the first of six top samba schools to take center stage at the Sambadrome, drew inspiration from a selection of popular Broadway musicals such as "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Cabaret".

The school, known for its irreverence, had a float displaying a reclining Statue of Liberty in bikini and sandals holding an ice cream.

Uniao da Ilha do Gobernador, representing Governor's Island in northern Rio, followed with a tribute to London and Rio, which will host the next two Summer Olympics in 2012 and 2016, respectively.

Some of the loudest applause from the crowd went to performers representing Olympic athletes holding Brazilian and Uniao da Ilha do Gobernador flags and wearing uniforms with the inscription Rio 2016.

Thirteen schools are in contention for the title of Carnival champion, to be bestowed on Wednesday based on choreography, music, dancing and creativity.

Several have chosen to celebrate the indigenous and African roots of Brazil's northeast, particularly the rich African heritage of Bahia state.

The region was honored by the Imperatriz school, which explored the life and cultural legacy of the great Bahian writer Jorge Amado.

Salvador is currently celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Amado, whose books have been translated into 49 languages and popularized in film, notably "Dona Flor and her Two Husbands". ( AFP )

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She wants to dance with somebody! 90-year-old granny becomes internet sensation after dancing tribute to Whitney Houston

She wants to dance with somebody! 90-year-old granny becomes internet sensation after dancing tribute to Whitney Houston - Among all the touching ways the iconic Whitney Houston has been honoured, one tribute from a 90-year-old grandmother stands out.

A clearly emotional Jeanne pays tribute to the late singer at the start of her YouTube video.

Close to tears she tells the camera; 'I'm doing this in honor of the late Whitney Houston. It's very hard to think of her being gone'.

Scroll down for video

Jeanne dances her heart out to the late singer's hit song 'I wanna dance with somebody' in her honour

The 90-who suffers from severe macular degeneration is legally blind and hard of hearing but still loves dancing

The YouTube footage has received over 250,000 hits since it was posted earlier this week

'She was one of a kind. Wonderful. I just enjoyed her singing, no matter what she was singing.'

The 48-year-old icon was found dead in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California last Saturday.

In Whitney's honour, Jeanne who suffers from severe macular degeneration making her legally blind and hard of hearing, then dances her heart out to the late singer's hit song 'I wanna dance with somebody'.

Scroll down for video

A clearly emotional Jeanne pays tribute to the late singer at the start of her YouTube video

Among all the touching ways the iconic Whitney Houston has been honoured, this tribute is among those that stands out

Close to tears, Jeanne tells the camera; 'I'm doing this in honor of the late Whitney Houston. It's very hard to think of her being gone'

The YouTube footage has received over 250,000 hits since it was posted earlier this week.

Her grandson, who posted the video and can be seen dancing with her, writes: 'One of the few things that makes her happy is dancing!' ( dailymail.co.uk )

Watch video here:

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Is Bollywood male dominated?

Is Bollywood male dominated? - Call it perfect timing. On March 8, International Women's Day, at the Oscars Sandra Bullock was awarded the best actor for her performance in The Blind Side and Kathryn Bigelow at 58 years of age became the first woman director to win for The Hurt Locker.

Earlier, Hillary Swank for (Million Dollar Baby) at 35 years, Reese Witherspoon for (Walk The Line) at 33 years and Kate Winslet for (The Reader) at 35 years of age were awarded Oscars for best actor category. Age is not a dirty word in Hollywood. Contrast this with the Hindi film industry where the female actors have to get married or plan alternative careers after they hit their late 20s. Otherwise why do you think actors like Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Tabu, Shilpa Shetty with the exception of Kajol, have either settled for marital bliss or delved into alternative careers.

Actor Urmila Matondkar who shifted base to Panchgani says, "Getting good scripts everyday isn't possible. Honestly, I have reached that point in my life where I don't want to get out of my house unless it's worth it." Shilpa Shetty Kundra who is busy handling her IPL team at the moment says, "There came a time when the scripts offered to me were not only foolish but completely impractical. There was no other choice but to move on." Actor Shefali Shah had to act as Akshay Kumar's mother in a film. Winning a National Award last year in the supporting actor category for The Last Lear, she says, "Everyone knows it's a male dominated industry. So you can only wait."

Says scriptwriter Kamlesh Pandey who wrote the script for Rang De Basanti, Tezaab, Dil, Beta, Chalbaaz, "With an exception of Umrao Jaan, even a talented actor like Rekha gets wasted here. She had great potential but she always played second fiddle to male actors. Vidya Balan, Kareena Kapoor are talented actors but the corporate houses and producers are at the mercy of male superstars so there will be few scripts for them."

On the challenges for budget and the fact that a 45-year-old Aamir Khan plays a 23-year-old college boy in 3 Idiots and makes it a super duper success, definitely says something. Says filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, "It's only after my films got rave reviews and worked at the box-office, people felt that Madhur ki picture chalti hai to karte hai iske liye investment. Let's hope that the women's bill will bring in some change." Says actor Amrita Rao who is facing dearth of good scripts already, "The film industry still suffers from a conservative cobweb wherein typical mindsets will take a few generations to change." Says filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, "A lot of times I have suggested the name of an actress and the reaction has been, 'Role ke liye bahut glamourous hain boss!' Did there have to be a distinction between glamour and talent?"

Bollywood today is crying for new kind of films. Says filmmaker Kunal Kohli, whose film Fanaa got Kajol her Filmfare award after she got married, "As long as the male superstars use their star power to make the right films, we are a long away from making films which will have women equally standing chance. " Anybody listening? ( indiatimes.com )

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'Strong' Black Friday Spending Hits Record High

'Strong' Black Friday Spending Hits Record High - Shoppers hungry for Black Friday deals came out in droves, creating more mayhem than anyone can remember, but thankfully for retailers, they also spent at record levels, according to retail analysts.

"We were expecting Black Friday openings to be very strong. I don't know anybody was expected that they were going to be this strong," National Retail Federation vice president Ellen Davis told ABC News Radio.

According to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation, a combined 226 million people visited brick-and-mortar and online stores during the four-day Black Friday shopping window, which is an increase of 14 million shoppers from last year.

Shoppers vie for copies of video games at a Black Friday sale at a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. store in Mentor, Ohio, U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011

Consumers cumulatively spent an estimated $52 billion during the holiday shopping rush, which kicked off on Thanksgiving Day at some retailers, according to the survey, which was conducted by online market research firm BIGresearch.

"Consumers are clearly demonstrating their desire to spend this holiday season, and shopping early and often seem to be their new mantra as they seek the best value for all their holiday purchases," BIGresearch executive vice president Phil Rist said in a statement.

The average holiday shopper spent $398.62 this weekend. up from $365.34 last year.

Online consumers spent an average of $150.53 on Black Friday deals, something that is expected to increase into Cyber Monday, when online retailers traditionally offer deep discounts and other incentives, such as free shipping.

Shoppers broke almost every record for Thanksgiving weekend, but retail expert Marshal Cohen said what's important is what people bought.

"Forty-four percent of consumers told us that they've only really bought for themselves so far, that leaves a lot of gift shopping still to be had," Cohen said.

"When the consumer psyche is positive, they go out and they buy more product. They go beyond their gift list. They buy more product for themselves," he said.

More than half of shoppers purchased clothing and nearly four out of 10 shoppers bought electronic items, including gaming systems such as the XBox, which allegedly caused a Los Angeles woman to pepper spray her fellow shoppers to ensure she scored one of the discounted gaming consoles.

The survey, which was conducted from Nov. 24-26, polled 3,826 consumers and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.6 percent. ( abcnews.go.com )

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The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving

The Picasso of Pumpkin Carving - On a recent afternoon, Ray Villafane studied a pumpkin face that looked, by turns, like a sad cartoon Popeye, a vampire and the actor Gérard Depardieu. Hating it, he spun the pumpkin to its other side and started over, hacking in bold strokes at its outer skin.

"Some of my best pumpkins happen when I'm about to throw them away," he said. He then carved an ogre getting its teeth knocked out mid-punch, with a spot for his fist to deliver the blow.

Mr. Villafane, who makes a living sculpting wax prototypes for toy action-figures, spends much of his time following detailed specs for companies such as DC Comics. But for at least one month a year, he experiments on the blank canvas of his pumpkins, creations that include a monster covered in snakes, a skull emerging under folds of unzipping flesh and an alien with claws and razor teeth.

This month, Mr. Villafane, 42 years old, could be seen competing on the Food Network's "Halloween Wars," a baking-and-carving contest for which he recently created a life-size pumpkin zombie oozing seeds and guts. He travels for much of October, charging $2,500-per-day for carving gigs around the country.

Jeff Newton for The Wall Street Journal Ray Villafane at his home studio in Surprise, Ariz.

Kristi Russell, president of Metal Flowers Media, the production company that found the contestants for "Halloween Wars," called Mr. Villafane "the aristocracy of pumpkin carving." He won two other Food Network pumpkin-carving shows in 2008 and 2010.

One of his goals is to carve all year. Last spring, he traveled to New Zealand to take advantage of fall in that country—allowing him to double his usual pumpkin-carving time.

At his home in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise, Ariz., Mr. Villafane frequently stays up all night working, guzzling Monster energy drinks under the gaze of his green tree python, Jezebel, who lives in a glass case near his work table. He loves the quiet and the sense of isolation. "It's like I have deeper thoughts at night," he said. The sculptor keeps the blinds down—"My dream home is a cave," he said—as he toils under fluorescent lamps with CNN or the Cartoon Network playing.

The pumpkin itself can alter what he carves. One of his favorite works, a football linebacker snarling under a face mask, came to him after seeing a pumpkin with a helmet-like top. Sometimes a single cut will create a shadow that allows him to see a face or new concept. "It's like looking for shapes in clouds," he said.

It can take him 12 hours to carve a pumpkin. Over time, he said, "the actual process is easier, but the ideas are harder." When he gets blocked, he often starts making bold cuts, digging into the pumpkin aggressively in hopes of seeing something he couldn't find before. It's a risk: If he breaks through to the middle, the pumpkin is ruined. Another habit when he's stymied: lying on a lounge chair by his backyard pool and looking up at the stars.

A native of Queens, N.Y., and a graduate of New York's School of Visual Arts, Mr. Villafane first began carving about 12 years ago, while working as an art teacher in Bellaire, Mich. On a whim, he made a few pumpkins for students. Soon, parents were leaving pumpkins outside his classroom, paying him $25 to carve elaborate faces for their office parties. During class, he let the kids play while he worked.

He began carving comic-book figures in 2004 and eventually left teaching. But it was the pumpkin photos on his website, instead of the models of Batman or Wonder Woman, that got him noticed. He now takes custom orders, offers carving lessons by Skype, sells a how-to DVD and is working on a book and calendar on pumpkin carving. Last year he was invited to the White House to work his magic.

Mr. Villafane's tattoos include skulls and the Play-Doh logo (he loves the scent of the stuff so much he buys Play-Doh cologne). When he's carving, he tracks pumpkin shards all over the house that he shares with his wife, Tammi, and their blended family of six kids, as well as a deaf English bulldog and a German-shepherd puppy. He allows his two small boys to "fix" pumpkins that he messes up by hacking at them with his tools.

This Halloween, Mr. Villafane will probably carve a pumpkin for the front stoop, though he's exhausted by the time Oct. 31 rolls around. He's mulled the idea of pickling his work, but its temporary nature is one of the things that he loves most about it. "When you don't ever have it again," he said, "you almost cherish it more."

FORGETTING THE PUMPKIN
Pumpkin carver Ray Villafane carves just the pumpkin's outer rind, without hollowing out the inside as most people do. It allows him to take his work more seriously, forgetting that it's just a pumpkin and thinking of it as a work of art. He searches for extra-thick skins that allow him to make a deeper carve without breaking through to the center.

Jeff Newton for The Wall Street Journal Mr. Villafane uses ribbon tools and scouring pads

FINDING 'HAPPY ACCIDENTS'
Mr. Villafane often sketches on the pumpkin surface with a ribbon tool before committing to deeper cuts, and he smoothes the face with a scouring pad so the pumpkin looks more flesh-like. Working without a detailed design allows for what he calls "happy accidents"—features that wouldn't occur to him if he'd planned in advance. But it also opens him up to possible mistakes.

FLEETING INSPIRATION

Jeff Newton for The Wall Street Journal "I cannot stop until I feel like I've conquered it," says Mr. Villafane.

Given the time limits on his work—the pumpkins shrivel if he leaves them alone for more than a day once he starts carving—Mr. Villafane must concentrate intensely on a single project, which is one reason he often works through the night. The deadline inspires him: "I cannot stop until I feel like I've conquered it," he said. ( wsj.com )

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Russia marks Victory Day with vast parade

Russia marks Victory Day with vast parade – Tens of thousands of granite-faced soldiers marched in lockstep across Red Square Monday in Russia's annual Victory Day display of military might, while President Dmitry Medvedev said the country is committed to peace and global stability.

The parade, marking the surrender of Nazi Germany in World War II, is the centerpiece of Russia's most solemn secular holiday, both commemorating the Soviet Union's enormous sacrifices in the war and asserting the potency of its modern military.

The 20,000 troops who strode in precision formation through the vast square outside the Kremlin were followed by more than 100 pieces of mobile military hardware, from armored personnel carriers to lumbering Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile launchers. It concluded with a squadron of helicopters carrying flags over the square but, unusually for recent years, did not include warplanes.

Although Russian armed forces suffered from severe funding shortages and morale problems in the early years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the parade put forth the image of a spit-and-polish and vigorous military, with an emphasis on discipline and precision. The parade announcer even praised the "maximal synchronization" with which the cars carrying Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and Moscow Military District commander Col.-Gen. Valery Gerasimov approached each other in the center of the square.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, walk along the Kremlin wall prior to the beginning of the Victory Day parade in Moscow, on Monday May 9, 2011.

Medvedev told the crowd, which included many war veterans festooned with medals and ribbons, that restoring the military would continue.

"The state will continue to do everything to guarantee the dignity of military service. to actively upgrade the armed forces so that the troops will have have the most modern equipment," said.

"Today Russia firmly upholds the principles of peaceful cooperation, consistently advocates for a security system and contributes to the overall effort to maintain global stability in the world," he said in the speech from a tribune set up in front of the Lenin Mausoleum.

The mausoleum, the focal point of the square, was hidden behind an elaborate scrim painted to mark the holiday, reflecting the symbolic delicacy of comemorating a victory achieved by the Soviet regime that is now largely discredited. Some of the marching military units carried period flags bearing the Communist hammer-and-sickel emblem.

Last year's Victory Day period was marked by repeated complaints from Medvedev and other officials that some countries denigrate the Soviet Union's contribution in WWII, in which some 26 million Soviets died, according to some estimates.

But Medvedev made no reference to the issue this year and made of a point of noting the efforts of the other Allies.

"Now, new generations are reinforcing the traditions of friendship and cooperation with those nations who together with us celebrate victory. And I sincerely congratulate the veterans of all countries," he said. ( Associated Press )

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One is back to the daily grind - even the Queen has to return to work after wedding bank holiday

One is back to the daily grind - even the Queen has to return to work after wedding bank holiday - Four days ago she was the proud grandmother overseeing a wedding watched by two billion people.

But after the bank holiday it was back to the daily grind for the Queen today as she visited a famous horseracing town.

After one million people took to the capitals streets for the wedding which thrilled the world, the monarch visited a day centre in Newmarket, Cambridge, this afternoon.

Refreshed: Four days after the Royal Wedding the Queen meets children at the Newmarket Day Centre

Flashback: The Queen at William and Kate's wedding last Friday talking to her son Prince Charles

The Queen and Prince Philip left for a weekend away before a Buckingham Palace party for 300 friends and relatives.

Refreshed, she shied away from discussing the Royal Wedding today as she discussed her love of the sport with horse racing veterans.

The Queen, a keen racing fan, spoke to former horse trainer Jerry Blum who offered a taste of nostalgia with photographs from the VE Day 1,000 Guineas race in July 1945.

'She was delighted with the photographs. She had requested to speak to someone about racing,' the 87-year-old said.

'I spoke to her about the filly that I used to look after, Sun Stream. She won the 1,000 Guineas on VE Day in 1945.'

Mr Blum described how he reminisced with the Queen about previous royal visits to the racing town and said she was 'very interested in the horses'.

He said: 'I spoke to her about 70 years ago, when the late King and Queen and Princess Margaret used to come here. They came into the box. Us apprentices used to put our jackets on for the occasion.'

Back to the day job: After the Royal Wedding the Queen spent a weekend away with Prince Philip

Cut price deal? The Queen talks to Vera Smith, from Stetchworth, Suffolk, during a visit to the hair dressers at Newmarket Day Centre

Long-serving volunteer Pat Dugdale, 68, from Chippenham, said she had been working at the centre for 28 years.

She likened the jubilant Royal Wedding celebrations to those at the day centre today.

'Friday was a day for the nation but today has been our day in this day centre. It's been just absolutely wonderful. We've been so excited for weeks on end,' she said.

Describing the Queen as 'amazing', Ms Dugdale said she was surprised she was still standing after Friday.

The Queen and Prince Philip take their seats in Westminster Abbey on Friday before the wedding. After the lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace, they left for a weekend away

'On top of the Royal Wedding where does she get the energy from? It's incredible,' she said.

The Time Of Your Life day centre is a community drop-in service run by Newmarket Day Centre Charity. The Queen's visit marks its 30th anniversary.

The centre provides resources for over-50s and offers activities such as line dancing and Tai Chi.

The Queen was greeted by well-wishers and schoolchildren who lined the nearby street, waving Union flags and holding baskets of flowers. She was given a posy of local blossoms before she toured the day centre.

As the Queen, dressed in a royal blue coat and matching hat, spoke to long-term staff at the centre she was all smiles and described the facility as 'lovely'. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Prince William: Remembering His Mother on His Wedding Day

Prince William: Remembering His Mother on His Wedding Day - Soon after Prince William told the world that he and Kate Middleton were engaged, we also learned that William had given Kate his mother's sapphire and diamond ring. Of the ring, William said he was just making sure his mother didn't miss out on the special occasion. "It's my mother's engagement ring," he explained, "so of course it's very special to me."

Getting married without your mom is hard. You're happy and excited, but you're also sad and mournful. The one person you'd want by your side isn't there to cheer you along. I know, because I got married without my mother, too.

Throughout the planning of my wedding, I longed for my mom. She died, though, just a few weeks after I got engaged, when I was 25. I wanted her help choosing a gown and picking the menu. I wanted her opinion on wedding locations and where my husband and I should go on our honeymoon. And I simply craved my mother's inexhaustible interest in my life. How many times could friends listen to me go on and on about floral arrangements and table decorations?

I realize my wedding story is different from Prince William's. I was the bride, after all, and clearly I had more nut-and-bolt planning to do than the Prince of Wales. But I also didn't lose my mother when I was 15 years old, and I didn't have to mourn her in front of the world.

I'd like to think William and Kate chose to get married in Westminster Abbey, where his mother's funeral took place, because it symbolizes that his life -- and his mother's -- are forever connected. It's also not a coincidence, I imagine, that after the ceremony, William and Kate rode to Buckingham Palace in the same carriage that carried Prince Charles and Diana after their nuptials in 1981. Both the Abbey and carriage are physical connections to his mother, and such tangible links can feel like a warm, maternal embrace. I chose to get married under a canopy of my mother's favorite bright and floral scarves.

Healing also comes from people, especially those who knew Princess Diana personally, and can share their own memories and stories. Kate never knew her would-be mother-in-law, and perhaps that's why the Royal guest list included those who knew Princess Diana best. Elton John attended the ceremony, and it was Elton John, Princess Diana's dear friend, who sang "Candle in the Wind" at her funeral.

The royal wedding was great fun to watch, but maybe while the festivities continue to unfold, take just a few moments to think about this: Prince William is teaching all of us that even during our happiest times, it is possible to keep the memory of our loved ones alive. ( huffingtonpost.com)

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Crowds Cheer William And Kate Back To Palace

Crowds Cheer William And Kate Back To Palace - Crowds lining the streets have cheered Prince William and his new bride on their way after a fairytale ceremony - Royal fans were rewarded for their hours, and in some cases days, of dedication as the couple left Westminster Abbey.

They roared their approval as the Prince and his wife Kate emerged after the ceremony, smiling and waving.

Kate and William travelled back to Buckingham Palace in an open-topped carriage despite fears it may rain.

And ultimately the downpours never materialised, with a shaft of sunlight falling across the Mall during the procession.

Cheers had erupted from The Mall as the couple officially became husband and wife in front of a congregation of 1,900.

Hordes of people again erupted in applause as William and Kate later publicly kissed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Thousands of well-wishers had flocked to the procesional route and to the area outside the Palace ahead of the wedding.

During the ceremony, they joined in to sing the hymns Jerusalem, Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer and Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.

William and Kate returned the waves and smiled back as they passed through the crowds and into the Palace.

Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton followed with the rest of the bridal party of page boys and bridesmaids.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Camilla and the Middletons also travelled to the Palace in coaches.

Royalists from all over the UK and the world had travelled to London to take part in the biggest Royal event for decades.

Many dressed up with tiaras, Kate and William masks or wore their own wedding dresses in case William changed his mind.

One large banner held up by people in the crowd read: "Checkmate Kate - you've taken the King!"

Thousands also packed into Hyde Park, Green Park and Trafalgar Square to watch the ceremony on big screens.

The square turned into a sea of red, white and blue as revellers waved souvenir flags when the ceremony reached its closing stages.

Westminster City Council estimated around a million people were on the streets of the capital.

Scotland Yard mounted a huge security operation, stopping searching people in a bid to avoid any trouble.

Many crowded into Trafalgar Square after giving up trying to find a place on the procession route.

Among the crowds outside Westminster Abbey was Rosanna Stacey, 25, a hospital worker from Norwich.

She said: "I think William and Kate are very well matched and think they'll be really good for the Royal Family in general.

"I definitely think it matters that William has chosen his bride, rather than her being chosen for him."

Housewife Sara Greer, 43, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, had camped overnight outside the Abbey.

She said: "I also came up when the Queen Mum died. I used to really love Diana so now I follow William and Harry.

"Now that they're older you can see they are just like their mum. William is putting the great into Great Britain and making people like the Royal Family again.

Jacky Williams, 60, from Neath, South Wales, arrived outside the Abbey early this morning.

She said: "I've never been up to see anything royal-related, but I just love all the horses and pomp and ceremony. It's very exciting."

She was accompanied by her daughter, Gemma Williams, 29, who is herself getting married next April.

She said: "Funnily enough I chose my dress last night. "I would love to be able to say my wedding will be like this."

Susan Plonnigs, 44, from Bastrop, Louisiana, said: "We booked our flights as soon as the date of the wedding was announced.

"I've been planning it ever since Diana's funeral - I said to my brother 'We'll have to come back for Will's wedding'.

"I was a huge Princess Diana fan, I think she did a great job of raising the boys and I think she would approve of Kate.

"I don't think she will fill Princess Diana's shoes but I think she will fill a void that's been left in the Royal Family.

"William really deserves happiness and I think he's found it with Kate. "There's so much bad in the world, it's good to have something good going on." ( Sky News )

READ MORE - Crowds Cheer William And Kate Back To Palace

Back to reality for the Middleton family

Back to reality for the Middleton family - As the new Duchess of Cambridge adjusts to life as a global household name, the rest of the Middleton family have been enjoying a taste of normality.

Forty eight hours after standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of a sea of faces, Michael and Carole Middleton were savouring the peace and quiet of their home in rural Berkshire, perusing the Sunday papers and even fiding time to mow the lawn.

The couple, who run an online party accessories business, spent the day with their two younger children, Pippa and James, at their secluded home near the village of Bucklebury.

They headed straight to the family home on Saturday after leaving the exclusive Goring Hotel near Buckingham Palace where they stayed for the royal wedding.

Yesterday Mr Middleton was the first to venture out into glare of publicity, taking a short drive in his silver Land Rover to Peaches newsagents in the village.

He returned 25 minutes later, looking relaxed with his shirt-sleeves rolled up, taking the line of photographers parked on the grass verges at the end of their private lane in his stride. Undaunted, he later re-emerged to mow the lawn.

Carole Middleton and her daughter Pippa arrive in Bucklebury

Pippa, the bride’s 27-year-old sister and maid of honour – who has herself become a global household name since Friday – had a taste of what lies ahead when she emerged in the passenger seat of a silver Mercedes C-class coupe mid-afternoon.

Wearing dark designer sunglasses and a white blouse, she also appeared unfazed, smiling broadly as she swept past a line of photographers.

As their new coat of arms, granted by the Queen, and inevitable place at the top table at society gatherings for life attest, life will never be same again for the former British Airways workers and their children.

But after days at the centre of a dazzling global spectacle, the family must now adjust to what will pass for normality.

Their connections to the Royal family could make them the subject of not only curiosity from the media and public alike but even a potential target for terrorists.

But while St James’s Palace have urged the media not to publish any photographs of the cottage on Anglesey where Prince William and Princess Catherine will live, there was no overt sign of security being stepped up at the Middletons’ home yesterday.

Even the customary police car, which has been stationed outside the converted farmhouse almost around the clock since the engagement was announced last year, was notable by its absence.

The family is however said to have been given personal security briefings but have not been assigned their own protection officers although Thames Valley Police is expected to keep a discreet watch on the property.

The Princess’s parents are widely expected to continue living in their home and running their business, Party Pieces.

They may have little choice about that - estimates for their share of the bill for Friday’s festivities range from £100,000 to as much as £250,000, including the cost of hiring out the hotel.

James Middleton, the bride’s 23-year-old brother, was also showing no sign of taking life easy to enjoy a celebrity lifestyle.

The young entrepreneur, who regularly works 14 hours days, is in the process of setting up three new businesses to complement his upmarket bakery, Cake Kit Company.

For the bride’s parents and siblings alike the challenge will now be to combine their new status as royal in-laws with business-as-usual.

As the bunting came down across Britain yesterday, the festive mood continued on Party Pieces – where red white and blue bunting was still proudly on sale at £5.99 a roll. ( telegraph.co.uk )

READ MORE - Back to reality for the Middleton family

Royal Wedding Day Schedule for Prince William and Kate Middleton

Royal Wedding Day Schedule for Prince William and Kate Middleton - The April 25 double issue of People magazine features a detailed schedule of this most auspicious day. It is finally the week of a long-awaited wedding ceremony for Prince William and Kate Middleton. Ever since November when they announced their engagement it has been nonstop news about William and Kate. The wedding is only days away till it takes place at long last. A lot of protocol will be front and center. There is a procession for Kate and her father as they wind the streets of London to Westminster Abbey.

Once the formalities are over it is another beautiful scene with the new royal couple heading back to Buckingham Palace with one reception and party after another. If you want to know what the wedding party will be doing before and after the ceremony here is a timeline. It also includes the famous landmarks the bride and groom will go by on their big day, the wedding of the century.

The Timely Itinerary to Westminster Abbey

Starting on page 128 of the People double issue it has dedicated a lot of information on the royal wedding. One such piece is an itinerary starting on page 130 of what will transpire April 29 starting at 8:30 a.m. London time, 3:30 a.m. ET. The Queen will designate royal titles to the bride and groom. Guests will start to arrive at Westminster Abbey at around 8:45 a.m.

Mother of the bride, Carole Middleton, is expected to arrive at Westminster at approximately 10:30 a.m. Between 10:40 and 10:50 a.m. the Queen and Prince Philip as well as Prince William, the groom, will arrive. The bridesmaids and Pippa Middleton, the maid of honor, will get there at 10:50 a.m.

At the magical hour of 11 a.m. the Princess bride, Kate Middleton, along with her father Michael, pull up in a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. This is the time her wedding dress is finally revealed to the world. After their arrival the ceremony begins.

Royal Wedding Procession Sites

En route to the wedding ceremony crowds will be abundant at many of London's famous sites awaiting the Princess bride and later the newly royal couple. The procession to Westminster Abbey for Kate and her father, along with the married couple, is provided by The Royal Parks. It starts off at Buckingham Palace, passing by Clarence House where Prince William and Prince Harry resided, The Mall which is a boulevard leading from the palace to Trafalgar Square and the Horse Guard Parade grounds. The route continues on to the Women of World War II Monument, Downing Street where the Prime Minister resides, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Cenotaph, HM Treasury which is the Crown's personal vault, the House of Parliament and Big Ben and its final destination, Westminster Abbey.

Prince William and Princess Catherine to Buckingham Palace Balcony

Once the vows are exchanged and the bridal couple signs the register it is official Kate Middleton now becomes Princess Catherine. At noon, the newlyweds begin their departure back to Buckingham Palace either in an open carriage, the State Landau Coach, or an enclosed glass coach in the event of rain. Bells will be ringing throughout the city to mark this occasion. When the couple arrives back at the palace it is time for a private photo session.

1:25 p.m. is the moment everyone will be waiting for when the royal couple, the wedding party and respective families all come out onto the balcony. More than likely William will follow in his mother's footsteps and kiss his bride for the world to see. The Royal Air Force will have its flyover to honor the Prince and Princess. This is the last time they will be seen publicly as the Queen prepares a reception.

Later that evening another party will be given by Prince Charles that's rumored to go into the late of night. By 9 a.m. EDT it will all be over with. No doubt there will be rebroadcasts on numerous cable channels showing the wedding from start to finish if you have to go to work that day. ( yahoo.com )

READ MORE - Royal Wedding Day Schedule for Prince William and Kate Middleton

Will William and Kate Make Up for Charles and Di?

Will William and Kate Make Up for Charles and Di? - As the royal wedding approaches, I find myself thinking back to the other wedding 30 years ago that I helped cover as a young reporter in London and wondering from afar (in Iowa, where I now live) how the extravaganza on April 29 - and, beyond that ritual, the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton - will differ.

During the summer of 1981, all of England seemed to have wedding fever - even my socialist pals. And as an intern working in the London bureau of an American newspaper, I was swept up in the excitement of covering a big story in great detail - which is how I learned all about organza.

"So organza is the name of the designer?" was my clueless follow-up question during an interview with Lady so-and-so for a fashion story on what wedding guests would be wearing.

"No, dear, it's the name of the fabric," the lady responded, turning fabric into a four-syllable word.

Still, as a 22-year-old Yank who couldn't imagine marrying, let alone into that family, I wondered if 20-year-old Diana Spencer knew what she was getting into. So did the feminists who distributed sadly prescient buttons that read, "Don't Do It Di." Lady Di seemed so young and naive. Prince Charles made me shudder, especially with his "Whatever love is" response to a reporter's question about whether the couple was in love.

Union Flags are hung along Regent Street - The Union Flags are hung along Regent Street in London in celebration of the forthcoming royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton Tuesday, April 19, 2011.

Flash forward to Kate the commoner, who at 29 is an older bride than Diana was and surely wiser and worldlier. And William - a groom at 28, not 32 like Charles - surely has learned a thing or two from the horror-story marriage that followed his parents' fairytale wedding. Am I the only one, this time around, who is less pumped about the wedding but more optimistic about the marriage? Not judging from conversations with British and American friends. (All female. The guys I know claim to not give a hoot.)

This is a couple who appear to have a relatively normal relationship, who've had rough patches over the years, who know that marriages can fail - and, in the case of Kate's parents, succeed (or at least endure). "They're going into it with their eyes wide open," observes Peggi, my 50-something hairstylist.

At the very least, the son of the People's Princess seems more certain than his dad about whatever love is. "Just compare the engagement photos," says my 26-year-old stepdaughter Emma, a single career gal in Chicago. On the face of it, the cuddly Wills-and-Kate pose is chillingly like the Charles-and-Di pose, down to Diana's engagement ring that Kate now wears. But William and Kate look like they like each other, my stepdaughter thinks. William's arms are wrapped snuggly, even protectively, around Kate.

My British friends report that this wedding is drawing less attention there than the 1981 wedding but is widely welcomed as a happy story, especially given all the other gloomy news (wars, uprisings, natural disasters, nuclear peril, economic belt-tightening). After the Charles-and-Di disaster, we may be less likely to believe in weddings stage-managed by Buckingham Palace. But we still want a happily-ever-after outcome for this attractive couple, especially this duty-bound young man who, as a boy, loved and lost his mother.

Yet so much has changed since 1981. Today, the British monarchy seems like even more of an anachronism, notes my friend Merida, a London bureau friend now living in New York. And with all that's going on in the world, it's hard to imagine the press (or at least the "old media") committing the resources lavished on Charles and Diana's wedding. In 1981, thousands of Brits camped out along the wedding-procession route (prompting me to bunk in our bureau near Fleet Street the night before so I didn't have to fight the crowds during my morning commute).

Will they do the same this month on the "happy day," as Prime Minister David Cameron described it? Will many Brits again celebrate with neighborhood street parties? (My London friend Francine has been invited to an unusual bash - a republican, i.e., antimonarchist, lunch with red-colored food and no telly watching allowed.) Will Americans get up in the wee hours of the morning on April 29, 2011 - as many did on July 29, 1981 - to watch the wedding live on TV or, now, the Internet? Will we stock up on commemorative tchotchkes?

I confess I want a little Wills-and-Kate plate. For years, a little Charles-and-Di plate has sat atop my bedroom dresser, beside a smaller plate marking Diana's 1997 death. What I don't think I want is a "Don't Do It Kate" button. So far, my London friends report there are none to be found. ( time.com )

READ MORE - Will William and Kate Make Up for Charles and Di?

Is Harry single or not?

Is Harry single or not? - Though Prince William gets the fancy wedding watched by the world, the stunning bride, and the right to one day be crowned king, it is his brother, Prince Harry, who truly has the lifestyle envied by millions.

Harry, the self-styled playboy prince, has a public image as a dashing, debonair young man with good looks, a charming manner, and a status as undoubtedly one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet.

The question hopeful young women around the world are desperate to know is this: Is Harry single?

A few months back and the answer was a resounding "yes," as Britain's third in line to the throne reveled in the young-and-free lifestyle, being seen in the company of a series of stunning women and reportedly enjoying a fling with Norwegian pop starlet Camilla Romestrand. His confident persona, coupled with the fact that not too many women find a royal title a turn-off, meant there was no shortage of interest from the opposite sex.

However, it emerged recently that Harry's on-off girlfriend Chelsy Davy will accompany him to William's marriage to Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, as well as two further private functions on the same day.

Chelsy, born and primarily raised in Zimbabwe, had looked very much like the one that got away. Royal insiders say she is the only woman ever to have truly captured Harry's heart, and the pair dated from 2004 to 2009. In 2007 Harry was said to be so smitten as to be considering proposing marriage, sparking speculation that he could beat his older brother down the aisle.

However, Chelsy's return to the scene does not automatically mean a full-blown reconciliation. The independent 25-year-old disliked the way she became paparazzi fodder during her relationship with Harry and came to be wary of life in London--preferring the quieter confines of her family's home in South Africa. Earlier this year, however, she returned to accept a position at a London law firm, meaning she could be in the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future.

Either way, the Harry and Chelsy Show keeps the British papers on their toes, with several publications gleefully reporting that the pair had been smuggled away from a London club in the trunk of a royal vehicle to avoid detection earlier this year.

Whether or not it is accurate to once again refer to Davy as "Harry's girlfriend," she is certainly back in the picture, even having played a role in organizing a second bachelorette part for Middleton, along with the bride-to-be's sister, Pippa.

If her presence is enough to steer Harry clear of the single scene remains to be seen. But if she can't, perhaps no one can. Preferring to keep things close to his chest, Harry has spoken about Chelsy in public on only one occasion--but it was heartfelt and somewhat moving.

"She is very special," he said, on his 21st birthday. "I would love to tell everyone how amazing she is. But, you know, that is my private life, and once I start talking about that, then I've left my own self open, and if anyone asks me in the future, then they'll say, 'Oh well hang on, you told them but why aren't you telling us?'"

He has said nothing on the subject since, and is not about to break that habit in the weeks leading up to his brother's wedding. And so the most intriguing question surrounding the royal family is still yet to be answered. ( yahoo.com )

READ MORE - Is Harry single or not?

Why Kate Middleton won’t toss her bouquet

Why Kate Middleton won’t toss her bouquet --The ceremonial fight for the bride's bouquet is a symbolic, entertaining, and occasionally violent staple of most weddings, but there won't be a throng of eager young ladies queuing up to catch Kate Middleton's lavish flower arrangement on April 29.

British royal protocol dictates that instead of being hurled skyward and giving one lucky and sure-handed girl a superstitious shove toward marriage, Kate's bouquet will come to a far more solemn rest.

As she heads back down the aisle at Westminster Abbey, having completed her nuptials to become either Her Royal Highness Princess William of Wales or another title of the queen's choosing, she will take a moment to lay her floral creation at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, a historic grave embedded into the church floor in 1920 to commemorate anonymous soldiers killed at war.

"It is one of the ways I remember the boys who didn't come home," Michael Selby, a private during World War II who honors the tomb whenever he visits the Abbey, told Yahoo!. "It is a symbol for the men whose bodies lay in a foreign field, a lot of them never identified."

The tomb, carrying the body of an unidentified soldier brought home from the first World War, is a revered site in British military history. It became etched into royal tradition in 1923 thanks to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who would later be known as the queen mother.

Bowes-Lyon, much loved and expertly portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter in the Oscar-winning movie "The King's Speech," set the tradition when she wed her "Bertie," King George VI, by laying a wreath on the tomb in honor of her brother Fergus, who had died during the war. On that occasion the arrangement was laid on the way to the altar. It has since been followed by every royal bride, though subsequently on their way out of the church.

As preparations for William and Kate's wedding got into full flow earlier this year, Kate made it known that she wished to pay a tribute to the military. Such a gesture surely met with the approval of Prince William, who continued family tradition by serving as a search and rescue pilot in the Royal Air Force and is currently stationed at a flight base in Wales.

William's brother, Prince Harry, has also vigorously launched himself into a career of service, flying Apache helicopters and recently being promoted to the rank of captain in the British Army Air Corps.

With the queen closely involved in planning for the wedding ceremony, it was agreed that the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior would be a fitting way to stick with royal practice, while also giving a touching nod to the services.

But what of the flowers that will be laid there? There has been some mystery regarding the creation. The Daily Mail reported that floral expert Shane Connolly would be given the honor of piecing together what will perhaps be the most-viewed bouquet in history.

Whatever form it takes, it is virtually certain that it will contain the royal staple of myrtle, known as the herb of love. Queen Victoria planted a myrtle bush at one of her residences, Osborne House, in the 1840s, and every royal wedding bouquet since has contained a sprig taken from the same plant.

William and Kate are very much a modern couple, but their wedding looks like it will be notable for its deference to history, right down to the concoction, placement, and symbolism of the bouquet. ( Yahoo.com )

READ MORE - Why Kate Middleton won’t toss her bouquet

Queen consents to royal wedding

Queen consents to royal wedding – Queen Elizabeth has given her formal consent to the marriage of grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton in the form of a historic hand written legal document made of vellum and elaborately illuminated.

Under the terms of the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, the British monarch must formally approve the marriage of her children and of most direct descendants of King George II, who reigned in the 18th century, before their wedding.

The Instrument of Consent, images of which were made available by William's office on Thursday, bears the queen's signature "Elizabeth R" and is sealed with the Great Seal of the Realm.

It reads: "NOW KNOW YE that We have consented and do by these Presents signify Our Consent to the contracting of Matrimony between Our Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales, K.G., and Our Trusty and Well-beloved Catherine Elizabeth Middleton."

The Instrument of Consent is one of a very few instruments that pass under the Great Seal which bear the monarch's signature. It will be given to William and Middleton after their wedding on April 29.

The document was illuminated by one of a panel of scrivener/artists retained by the Crown Office.

William - The Instrument of Consent, which is the Queen's formal consent to Prince William's forthcoming marriage to Kate Middleton, is seen at the Crown Office at the House of Lords in London April 20, 2011. Britain's Queen Elizabeth has given her formal consent to the marriage of grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton in the form of a historic hand written legal document made of vellum and elaborately illuminated. Photograph taken April 20, 2011

William - A detail from the Instrument of Consent, which is the Queen's formal consent to Prince William's forthcoming marriage to Kate Middleton, is seen at the Crown Office at the House of Lords in London April 20, 2011. Britain's Queen Elizabeth has given her formal consent to the marriage of grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton in the form of a historic hand written legal document made of vellum and elaborately illuminated. Photograph taken April 20, 2011

According to William's office, vellum is used only for the most important state documents.

The queen turned 85 on Thursday and attended the traditional Maundy Service at Westminster Abbey in London, also the venue for the royal wedding.

During the service, which dates back to the Middle Ages, she handed out Maundy money to people in recognition of services to the church and community. ( Reuters )

READ MORE - Queen consents to royal wedding