Updated: William and Kate are married

They had the eyes of the world upon them and Prince William, now the Duke of Cambridge, said all he had to do was get his lines right.

He did, and so did his new wife, as they both delivered a flawless performance during the wedding ceremony.

There were 1,900 guests in Westminster Abbey, hundreds of thousands of well-wishers lining the streets of London, and as many as two billion people watching around the world.

And the couple got their marriage off to a perfect start, both beaming with pleasure.

On an impromptu walkabout last night William, told well-wishers 'All I've got to do is get the lines right.'

He need not have worried. Both he and Kate, now the Duchess of Cambridge, spoke confidently as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, solemnised their marriage.

Before the ceremony William and Prince Harry had the demeanour of any other groom and best man. Both checked their hair, patting it down after removing their hats as they entered the abbey. William chatted with guests, smiling and looking relaxed, while Harry appeared the more nervous of the two.

The bride-to-be arrived at Westminster Abbey exactly at 11am. She was all smiles as she walked up the aisle accompanied by her father, Michael.

As she approached the front of the church, Harry looked back, cracked a broad smile and said a few words to his brother. William faced forward until Kate arrived.

The couple looked lovingly at each other as they exchanged a few words, William looking down to admire the length of Kate's dramatic dress.

The Archbishop asked William: 'Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only

unto her, so long as ye both shall live?'

William's voice crackled slightly as he said: 'I will.'

As Kate said 'I will' to the same vows there was a loud cheer from the crowd outside.

Like Diana, Princess of Wales, Kate did not promise to obey her husband.

William spoke steadily and confidently as he repeated the words after the Archbishop, saying: 'I, William Arthur Philip Louis, take thee, Catherine Elizabeth to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.'

Kate took William by his right hand to repeat her vows, which she delivered without fault and which received another cheer from the crowd outside.

There was a nervous moment when William tried to put the ring on the fourth finger of Kate's left hand. The ring was stuck on the knuckle for a few seconds but then slipped on.

There was more cheering from the crowd outside as the Archbishop pronounced them man and wife.

The newlywed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge issued a prayer today calling on God to help them 'serve and comfort those who suffer'.

The royals, who were married at Westminster Abbey, also asked for spiritual help to maintain focus on the things that mattered, and to be 'generous' with their 'time and love and energy'.

The Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, read the words penned by William and Kate - a declaration of intent for their new life together.

The senior cleric spoke the prayer at the end of his address to the wedding congregation of around 1,900 family, friends, associates and dignitaries.

He told those gathered in the abbey: 'I pray that everyone present and the many millions watching this ceremony and sharing in your joy today will do everything in their power to support and uphold you in your new life.

'I pray that God will bless you in the way of life you have chosen, a way which is expressed in the prayer that you have written together in preparation for this day:

'God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share

and for the joy of our marriage.

'In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy.

''Strengthened by our union, help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen'.'

Along with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, the cleric is said to have given the couple pre-wedding advice on marriage.

Speaking from the abbey's great pulpit, the bishop began by telling the newlyweds that becoming husband and wife would ultimately enable them to become their 'deepest and truest selves'.

He acknowledged the thousands who were wishing the couple well, both in this country and abroad, saying it was good that people on every continent were able to share in the celebrations as today was 'a day of hope'.

Dr Chartres added: 'In a sense, every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them to the future.'

He also stated that wedlock would 'transform' partners for the better just as long as people did not try to 'reform' their spouse.

The bishop said: 'Marriage should transform, as husband and wife make one another their work of art.

'This transformation is possible as long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner.

'There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow; each must give the other space and freedom. Chaucer, the London poet, sums it up in a pithy phrase: 'Whan maistrie (mastery) comth, the God of Love anon, Beteth his wynges, and farewell, he is gon'.'

Miss Middleton, resplendent in an ivory gown with lace applique floral detail designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, arrived at the abbey on time at 11am.

Her bridal flowers contained a touching tribute to her husband to-be - her bouquet included sweet William.

As the historic marriage service began, an estimated two billion people were watching around the globe.

Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers flocked to the processional route from the abbey, ready to catch a glimpse of the happy couple as wedding fever gripped the world.

Arriving at the Great West Door of the ancient church, the bride and her proud father Michael passed the green marble memorial stone to Sir Winston Churchill.

As her young bridesmaids and pageboys assembled behind her in the nave, beneath the impressive 18th century stained glass West Window, Miss Middleton was able

to take in the abbey's shimmering Waterford crystal chandeliers and vast gothic arches above her.

On her father's arm, Kate walked up the aisle as a commoner to the sounds of coronation anthem Parry's 'I Was Glad'.

Following her vows in front a 1,900 strong congregation, she will become the future Queen Catherine, an HRH, and the newest member of Britain's Royal

Family.

She will also become the Duchess of Cambridge after William's grandmother the Queen gave him a traditional wedding-day dukedom.

The last Duke of Cambridge, like Prince William, married a commoner for love.

He wed the actress Sarah Louisa Fairbrother in 1847.

As her groom waited, she moved along the red carpet, around the south side of the poppy-lined Grave of the Unknown Warrior - the only gravestone in the abbey over which it is not permitted to walk.

Behind her was her maid of honour and sister Pippa Middleton charmingly holding hands with the youngest of the bridesmaids Eliza Lopes and Grace van Cutsem - both just three-years-old.

They were followed by Lady Louise Windsor and the Hon Margarita Armstrong-Jones, and then the page boys Tom Pettifer and Billy Lowther-Pinkerton.

Walking through the 'avenue of trees', Kate processed past delighted guests seated facing inwards in the nave before moving through the intricate golden quire screen, on top of which sit the orchestra, and into the quire.

In the Victorian gothic wooden stalls lined with red lamps, sat Prime Minister David Cameron and other senior politicians and high commissioners, as well as

the two choirs and their schoolboy choristers.

Here, Miss Middleton made her way to the Lantern, where she finally met William, resplendent in his dashing red military uniform, at the Sacrarium steps.

In the south transept stood William's grandparents the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and father the Prince of Wales and stepmother the Duchess of Cornwall and other members of the Royal Family.

In the north transept were the Middletons and many of William and Kate's close friends and confidantes.

Kate left with her father at 10.51am precisely from the exclusive Goring hotel.

The bride was cheered all the way along the wedding route by the crowds who waved union flags and shouted out to her.

The Rolls-Royce arrived at 11am with the abbey bells being rung to herald her arrival.

When her father took her left hand they began their procession along the red carpet that started outside the ancient building and led inside, with her sister

Pippa carrying her train.

The Dean greeted the bride and her father and the pair paused as final adjustments were made to the dress before the procession began.

Behind her were her young bridesmaids and page boys.

Kate's bridal procession music was used as The Anthem for the 1981 wedding of Prince William's parents the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, but Diana walked up the aisle to The Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke.

Kate waved to the crowds as she travelled by Rolls Royce Phantom VI from the nearby Goring Hotel.

Her bridal flowers contain a touching tribute to her husband to-be. Her shield-shaped wired bouquet includes sweet William, as well as myrtle, lily-of-the-valley and hyacinth.

As tradition dictates for royal weddings, the bride's bouquet contains a sprig of myrtle from the original myrtle bush planted by Queen Victoria at Osborne

House, Isle of Wight in 1845.

But it also poignantly contains a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen's wedding bouquet of 1947.

The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly, who was also responsible for creating the 'avenue of trees' in Westminster Abbey today.

Miss Middleton chose her flowers for their significance to the Royal Family, the Middletons and the language of flowers. Sweet William means gallantry, lily-of-the-valley means return of happiness, hyacinth symbolises constancy of love, while myrtle is the emblem of marriage and love.

There is also ivy for fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship and affection.

Myrtle was carried by Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858, and was used to signify the traditional innocence of a bride.

The Queen looked resplendent for her grandson's wedding in a primrose dress with matching hat.

She wore an Angela Kelly-designed single crepe wool primrose dress with hand-sewn beading at the neck in the shape of sunrays.

Over this, she wore a matching double crepe wool tailored primrose coat.

Angela Kelly designed the Queen's hat too - a matching crepe hat with handmade silk roses and matching apricot-coloured leaves.

The Queen also wore Queen Mary's True Lovers Knot diamond brooch.