Kiss me Kate! William and his new bride show their love

Double kiss: The newly-married couple share their first public kiss on the balcony as thousands of screaming well-wishers watch

William tells Kate 'You look beautiful' as she arrives at the altar

He jokes with Kate's father 'we're supposed to have just a small family affair'

Two BILLION people watch couple tie the knot

5,000 royals enthusiasts camped out overnight at the Mall

Prince struggles to get ring on Kate's finger

One million well-wishers line the streets to catch a glimpse of the couple
Prince William takes the title Duke of Cambridge and Kate becomes Duchess

Police officers stand in front of royal supporters on The Mall in London, along the Processional Route by the Palace moments before William and Kate emerged to share a kiss

It was the moment the world had been waiting for: the kiss to set the seal on a Royal love match that has lifted the hearts of the nation.

But the first public embrace of William and his bride Catherine was so fleeting that you would have missed it if you had blinked.

The loving couple leaned in for a brief, but loving kiss, after which he smiled broadly while she giggled. The crowd in The Mall below, chanting ‘We want Kate, We want Kate’ simply roared with delight.

Newly wed: Prince William and his new wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, wave as they travel in the 1902 State Landau carriage along the Processional Route to Buckingham Palace

'You look beautiful': Prince William speaks to his bride Kate as she holds her father's hand at the altar

Newly-wed: Prince William Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge leave Westminster Abbey with her sister Pippa supporting her dress

Then, as an RAF flypast was sweeping towards the palace, William whispered to Kate and leaned forward for a second, slightly more lingering kiss.

This was the fairytale a million people had taken to the streets of London to see today. And they were not disappointed.

In a stunning ivory gown with lace applique floral detail designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, Kate walked up the red carpeted aisle a commoner.

At Westminster Abbey’s altar she became a royal.

She clutched a bunch of white flowers as she embarked on the short drive to Westminster Abbey, before starting her three-minute walk up the aisle to be with her groom.

The smiling bride: A veiled Kate Middleton and then, later, unveiled. An estimated two billion people tuned in for her wedding

Prince William and Kate Middleton exchange rings in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury during the ceremony

Kate Middleton arrives with her father Michael Middleton to join Prince William and his best man Harry at the altar

Thousands of people wave Union Jacks as the couple are taken to Westminster Abbey in their open-topped carriage. An estimated one million people lined the streets

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, emerge from the church after the wedding ceremony with Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton in the background

An estimated 10,000 people were packed into Trafalgar Square to watch the ceremony on a giant screen

As the happy couple exchanged vows, William appeared to have trouble slipping the ring onto Kate's finger.

But to the relief of all, he finally pushed on the wedding band on and the ceremony passed without a hitch.

A staggering one million people had packed the streets of London to witness one of the most anticipated weddings the world has ever seen.

Well-wishers waved flags and many shed tears as William and his beautiful bride exchanged their vows.

As Kate joined the Prince at the altar, he told she looked 'beautiful'. Wearing the famous red tunic of the Irish Guards, William stared straight ahead as she started her long walk down the red carpeted aisle of Westminster Abbey.