Binding A Popular Feeling

"If you are British, you would be a very ignorant person not to see it matters in our history and in our future. Republicans are right to suspect that those with "real power in our society" have used The Monarchy to bind popular feeling to the interests of the State. It is not a coincidence that, as the revolutionaries began to use public ceremonies and uniforms - blackshirts, brownshirts, redshirts - to inspire a mass following, so The Monarchy raised its game." More.

Gift From Welsh People

Prince William and Kate are to receive a specially crafted piece of Welsh crystal as a Wedding present from the people of Wales. The hand designed piece has been created by the Welsh Royal Crystal company at Rhayader in Powys. It will serve as one gift from the Welsh Assembly on behalf of all Welsh people. More: 1, 2 and 3.

Towyn Celebrates In Style

Hundreds of wellwishers have lined the streets of Towyn in north Wales to glimpse their very own version of Royal Wedding 2011. Children from Ysgol Y Foryd, accompanied by a three hundred strong congregation, gathered at St Mary's Church in Towyn for their own take on the nuptials. All the children took part in the ceremony, dressing up as a host of Royals including best man Prince Harry and The Queen, Heads of State from around the world including the King and Queen of Spain, and even celebrities such as the Beckhams and Cliff Richard. More here, here and here.

Cubs Give Gift To Prince

A uniquely carved Welsh lovespoon, which has been created and designed by a nine-year-old Cub member in the Principality, is to be presented to Prince William in celebration of his marriage to Miss Catherine Middleton. Joseph Tucker, the south Wales cub who created the design for the Welsh lovespoon, said: "I love being a cub and I am very happy to have won the competition. I really enjoyed designing and creating the spoon as well. It will be sent to them for the Wedding and I hope they like it." Full details here.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

"I was thrilled to learn that Prince William had chosen The Chocolate Biscuit Cake for his Wedding Cake. Chocolate Biscuit Cake is also his grandmother's favourite cake. I prepared it for both of them when they had tea together. The Queen would request the cake from the Menu Book for Sunday tea when she knew her grandson would be joining her from Eton." More.

Mock Royal Wedding

A mock Royal Wedding by local school children to celebrate the engagement of Prince William to Kate Middleton has been given the Blessing of the Royal couple themselves. Pupils, staff and parents from Ysgol Pum Heol in south Wales recreated a Wedding day and informed the Royal couple of their plans. Head teacher Eira Rumble said the school was excited to receive a letter back from St James's Palace on behalf of the couple. The letter that was received simply states: "Prince William and Catherine Middleton were delighted to learn that the pupils of Ysgol Pum Heol had chosen to celebrate their engagement in such an exciting and unusual way, and I am to convey to you their hopes that you will all have great fun and that the children will enjoy their service."

A Memorabilia Sale

With street parties being set up all over Cardiff, a Royal Wedding Coin being produced in the city, and the council lining the city centre with bunting, you could argue the capital has gone all out to celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton. But one Cardiff store is planning to create Royal Wedding memorabilia with a twist to mark the big day. The Milkwood Gallery on Lochaber Street in Roath, which stocks commemorative china from previous Royal Weddings through the ages, will sell souvenir "William and Kate tea sets". The full details.

The Meaning Of Life

In 1901, Prince George's visit transformed The Federation of Australia into a celebration of imperial unity. At a speech to students at Melbourne University, the Prince told students that life was made up of loyalty "to your parents, your Country, your King and your God". It was this chain of loyalty that would lead Australia to sacrifice its men on the altar of The Great War. More.

Republican Gives Up Hope

Hugh Ashton's face was a portrait of thwarted ambition as he watched from a discreet distance the anti-monarchist protest in front of Buckingham Palace. He had come from Chichester, West Sussex, to take part but couldn't bring himself to join the chanting republicans gathered at the gates. "It's a bit disappointing. I was expecting more people than this. It's made me wonder." More.

Welsh Chefs Bake Cake

Chefs from The Welsh National Culinary Team have today been Commissioned to bake a Royal Wedding Cake for Prince William and Kate Middleton. The chefs' offer to make a cake to celebrate The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29th has now been accepted. With the happy couple's blessing, it will be donated to Centrepoint, a charity for homeless young people of which Prince William is Patron. Further details.

2,000 Street Parties

That great British tradition of street parties appears to have been re-invigorated to mark the forthcoming Royal Wedding. For it has been announced that at least 2,000 applications for road closures have been received by councils throughout Britain. So far the highest number of applications has come from London with 70 street parties planned, whilst Cardiff is next in line with 24. More.

Childhood Pictures Of Kate

Childhood portraits of our future Queen have been released today.

Kate Middleton is pictured here in 1987 at the tender age of five.

To see these photographs just visit the web pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Kate Passes Royal Test

Prince William and Kate Middleton have carried out one of the most traditional of Royal tasks by launching a new RNLI lifeboat on Angelsey. Impressing that local crowd by singing the Welsh national anthem fluently. It was also Catherine Middleton's first introduction to life as a working Royal before The Royal Wedding. Full coverage of Prince William and Kate's recent visit to Treaddur Bay now here. Additional news reports with pictures via: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Republicans Gobsmacked

Welsh republicans have been left "gobsmacked" by the numbers of people in Wales organising street parties to celebrate The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Adam Phillips of Balchder Cymru (Pride Of Wales), who is organising The Escape From The Royal Wedding Camp at Llwyngwern Farm in Powys, said: "I spoke to somebody in Mold who mentioned a street party on April 29th and was gobsmacked when I asked him: 'Why would you want to celebrate this?'" Adam Phillips added: "Our Escape The Wedding Camp is open to anybody from all over Wales or England to come to." Further details by here. More about The Escape From The Royal Wedding Camp by here and here. Online debate by here.

Trearddur Bay Awaits

The Press Association reports that excited well-wishers have already started to gather to see Prince William and bride-to-be Kate Middleton make their first public appearance together in Wales. Crowds of people turned up early at the dockside, braving blustery winds and grey skies, to ensure they had a prime position to see Prince William and Kate. Lisa Taylor, aged 42, from Valley, said: "I think it is fantastic. The work the RNLI do around here is vital. To have such high-profile guests is great for them. It's going to be wonderful to see Prince William and Kate. Really exciting."

Jean and Keith Critchley took their three-year-old grandson, Samuel, to the event. The couple, who have a holiday home on Anglesey, said it would be good for the area. Mrs Critchley, aged 63, from Warrington, Cheshire, said: "They are a lovely couple. He is a great lad and she is a beautiful girl." Mary Shaw, aged 71, from Trearddur Bay, agreed too, saying: "They're a lovely couple. They will get an excellent reception." Full details about the Royal visit via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. You can also follow Prince William and Kate's visit to Treaddur Bay by subscribing to our Twitter feed here.

Overwhelmed By Cards

So many well-wishers have been sending in letters and cards to Prince William and Kate Middleton that The Queen has had to take on extra staff in Her post room. The amount of mail to Buckingham Palace has gone up by 29% since last November whilst Clarence House, which deals with Prince William's correspondence, has seen a 75% increase. A Palace spokesperson said: "Well-wishers have been sending in cards and also letters in their droves. The response to the engagement has been enormous." It has also been revealed that among the many cards and letters was an invitation to "a street party" - at a primary school in Miss Middleton's home parish of Bucklebury in Berkshire. The Bucklebury Church Of England Primary School, in the village of Upper Bucklebury, is holding the big party in its playground on Thursday April 28th. Headteacher Pippa Rowe said: "We wanted to celebrate The Royal Wedding as it is an important event in the life of the children, and of course the country." Further details via here and also here.

Wedding Invite Arrives

Invites to The Royal Wedding have started to arrive on doormats.

Some 1,900 guests are to be at The Royal Wedding. More details.

William Loves Wales

I am rather pleased to report that Prince William is becoming increasingly well-versed in Welsh as he continues to live in The Principality of Wales on Anglesey. "Yes, he has begun to learn some," confirms his spokesman. "Not formally, but he can't fail to pick it up living there." Prince William and Catherine Middleton are said to have fallen in love with The Principality, where they live in a rented cottage, and may choose to retain a property within Wales in the future. "He very much enjoys his time in Wales," added the spokesman. "He really values the welcome that the people of Anglesey have given him and Catherine. They have given him privacy and have really taken him into their bosom."

Tom Pettifer Is "Excited"

Master Tom Pettifer's leading role in The Royal Wedding has been greeted with great joy by his Welsh grandmother who says he is "excited". The eight-year-old, whose mother Tiggy was a former assistant to The Prince of Wales, will be the second pageboy when his Royal godfather Prince William and Kate Middleton are wed. Tom's grandmother, Shan Legge-Bourke, says she will have a tear in her eye when she sees him taking part in the ceremony. More.

Republicans Flee To Tents

A campsite in Wales is offering republicans in the Principality an escape from The Royal Wedding. Ever since Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement, the Principality has been awash with anticipation - but Adam Phillips doesn't see any reason to celebrate the big day and has organised a party of his own. Speaking from The Balchder Cymru campsite in Wales he said: "We're organising a get-together - not everybody is over the moon that these two are getting married. Just imagine the amount of money that will be spent on security. They should be paying for the Wedding themselves - not working-class people." He added: "From the start of this, the media have only given one side about William and Kate's Wedding. We are organising this celebration as a distraction and a lot of English people would feel the same as us."

William At Trearddur Bay

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteer crew, members, fundraisers and supporters at Trearddur Bay are all getting ready to welcome His Royal Highness The Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton. For they shall be the guests of honour at the Naming Ceremony and The Service of Dedication for the station's brand new inshore lifeboat called Hereford Endeavour.

Photo is kindly supplied by The Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

The Atlantic 85 Lifeboat will be named at Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station on Anglesey on February 24th. More via here and here.

Republican Left Cold

"As a republican who would like nothing better than The House of Windsor to be abolished, the British Constitution to be overhauled and Buckingham Palace to be turned over to the people - there is something about the current surge in so-called republican sentiment that leaves this republican feeling cold." More.

Death Threats For Couple

"Violent anarchists" have released a sick image of Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton being hanged. The yobs posted the sinister "Time To Tie The Knot" picture on left-wing websites along with threats to kill the Royal couple on their Wedding day. The anti-establishment thugs, who were behind the student riots in London, also declared the pair "are better dead than wed". More.

Applause For King's Speech

George VI's wartime newsreel appearances, we're told, were regularly interrupted by applause from cinema audiences - a phenomenon no more common now, at least for British filmgoers, than it was at the time. All the more peculiar, then, that The King's Speech - the box-office smash starring Colin Firth as the Monarch struggling to overcome His debilitating stutter - is getting the same reception. When I saw it at the Odeon Camden on Friday, there was a spontaneous ovation at the end. A quick straw poll of friends and a click around Google makes clear this is happening at many screenings. What's going on? Ben Walters investigates. More.

Why Middle Class Hate Kate

She has been accused of social climbing and of having "no class".

Why is Kate so boring? Find out here.

Alice Miles explores why the middle-class hate Kate Middleton.