New Year 2012: London Fireworks Display

London's new year fireworks dazzled their way into 2012 in an "awesome" display that has been widely hailed by both the media and public as a stunning success.

It was the 11-minute fireworks spectacular that wowed the world. More than 250,000 revellers watched the breathtaking display, of more than 12,000 fireworks producing 50,000 projectiles lit up the sky which cost £274,000 and demonstrated that London is the best in the world at putting on a show to celebrate the New Year.

The Royal Wedding

Under cool, gray skies billions watched from outside Westminster Abbey and on television worldwide as 1900 invited guests inside witnessed as Prince William and his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton were married in one of the largest events in London in decades. A little over an hour after they arrived at the Abbey to be married, the couple emerged on a red carpet and onto the streets to a peal of bells and into a horse-drawn carriage, heading toward Buckingham Palace.

The prince had married what the British call a commoner; now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (titles granted by Queen Elizabeth II). The couple stepped out onto a balcony a short time later to greet the enormous crowd along the Mall - a tradition at royal weddings. They kissed for the first time in public as a married couple as a cheer went up from the crowd.

Ramping up to the royal wedding

An estimated 2 billion people around the world are expected to watch live as England's Prince William marries commoner Kate Middleton this Friday at Westminster Abbey. Tourists have flocked to London, decorations are appearing, commemorative memorabilia are for sale, and the armed services are preparing for their role in the big event.