The Prince William and Kate Middleton Wedding will take place on April 29 falls on a Friday and the Government has designated it as a bank holiday. David Cameron welcomed the announcement of the royal wedding date, which he said would be a "happy and momentous occasion".
The Prime Minister added: "We want to mark the day as one of national celebration - a public holiday will ensure the most people possible will have a chance to celebrate on the day."
The timing of the wedding will mean there will be two four-day public holidays, two weekends in succession. The Monday after the wedding, May 2, is already a designated bank holiday; and the previous weekend is Easter, which also has two bank holidays on the Friday and Monday.
The couple, who revealed their engagement to the world last week, were described as "over the moon" about their forthcoming wedding.
Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the prince's private secretary, said: "They’re on cloud nine like any other newly engaged couple and they’re now getting stuck into organising their wedding.
"They are completely over the moon – I’ve never seen two happier people which is fabulous."
Mr Lowther-Pinkerton said: "The couple have chosen to be married at Westminster Abbey on the Feast of St Catherine on Friday 29th April.
"The couple were moved to choose the venue because of its staggering beauty, its 1,000 years of royal history and its relative intimacy despite its size.
“They are very much in charge giving us firm direction about the arrangements."
The Royal family and the Middletons will bear the cost of the wedding, the reception and the honeymoon, although any associated costs such as security, policing and cleaning streets will be picked up by the taxpayer
“The details of who pays for what haven’t been worked through yet but the Middleton family are very, very keen to contribute,” said Mr Lowther-Pinkerton.
He added that Prince William and Kate Middleton want their wedding to be “a classic British occasion” and “a classic example of what Britain does best”.
He said the couple and the Royal family want the wedding to be an enjoyable event for the whole country while at the same time being “mindful” of the current economic situation.
An April wedding sees Prince William marrying in the same month as his father, the Prince of Wales, whose second marriage to the Duchess of Cornwall took place in Windsor on April 9, 2005. However, the venue will be different as the Prince of Wales chose St Paul's Cathedral.
The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, welcomed the decision to hold the ceremony at the Abbey.
He said: "We are very pleased they have chosen Westminster Abbey for their marriage and look forward to the detailed planning for what will be a great and happy occasion for the couple themselves, for their families and friends, for the country and Commonwealth and for well-wishers across the globe."
As the date was finalised, it also emerged that Miss Middleton is to play a central role as a working member of the Royal family after her wedding.
It is understood she is already considering a request from the charity Starlight, which grants wishes to seriously and terminally ill children to work as their patron or ambassador.
At the weekend Royal aides contradicted widespread reports that Miss Middleton, 28, would not be a working princess and that she instead intended to start a family early in her marriage to Prince William.
"Catherine has made it clear that she wants to get stuck into work for the Royal family and that she wants to support her future husband," said a senior royal aide.
Miss Middleton's new role is certain to lead to comparisons with the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who supported many charities.
Party Pieces, the Middleton's family business, already has links with Starlight and some friends of Miss Middleton expect her to accept a formal role with the charity next year.
In September last year, Miss Middleton and her family attended a charity auction at the Saatchi Gallery in London to raise money for Starlight.
Miss Middleton hosted a table at the £100-a-night black tie event and her parents donated a party for 20 youngsters as a prize for the auction.
In 2008, Miss Middleton was also involved with organising the Boodles Boxing Ball in London, which was attended by Prince William and Prince Harry, and raised more than £100,000 for Starlight.
The charity was founded by the actress Emma Samms, who starred in Dynasty, and its current ambassadors include the actresses Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller and the fashion designer Matthew Williamson.
Another charity that Miss Middleton may consider adopting is Place2Be, which provides counselling to schoolchildren in need.
In 2008, she helped to organise a roller-disco charity event in London for Place2Be, during which she was photographed wearing yellow hot pants lying on the floor after taking a tumble in her roller-skates.
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