Royal wedding: Military rehearsal takes place

From there, the RAF lined the road to Horse Guards Parade, members of the Army lined Parliament Street and several companies of the Royal Navy lined the conclusion of the route.

The abbey closed its doors to the public on Tuesday so that preparations could get under way.

On Friday the carriage procession will pass along The Mall, Horse Guards Road, Horse Guards Parade, through Horse Guards Arch, along Whitehall, along the south side of Parliament Square and into Broad Sanctuary.

A dress rehearsal for clergy and broadcasters is also scheduled for Wednesday, while the royal couple are expected to hold their own preparations with senior clergy at the abbey.

Pilots taking part in a flypast to mark the celebrations have also been rehearsing out of RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

Seven aircraft will take part in the formation that will fly over Buckingham Palace, including a Spitfire, Hurricane and a Lancaster in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight formation, followed 32 seconds later by two Tornado planes and two Typhoons in the Windsor formation.

Meanwhile, members of the public have begun camping out in front of the abbey.

John Loughrey, 56, who began his week-long vigil on Monday night, said he planned to stay in his position to ensure a prime spot for the event.

Faith Nicholson, 49, from east London, flew back from a Spanish holiday to join the crowds outside the abbey.

She said: “I’m here for the atmosphere, not just for the event. I’ll stay here if it rains. I don’t have an umbrella or anything, I really don’t care. I just want a good view of William and Kate.”

As well as the Royal Family, 50 heads of state are attending the ceremony, which it is anticipated will be watched by up to two billion people on television. There will be 70-80 close protection teams for VIPs on the day.