WHEN pensioner Bill Harvey heard he would be celebrating his birthday on the same day as the wedding of the year he could not resist inviting himself along.

The widower from Southampton will be having a right royal knees up when he attends the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones next month - the same day as his 70th birthday.

Mr Harvey, from Bitterne, will be mingling with the aristocracy, members of the establishment and stars from stage and screen as a guest of the top social bash.

The ceremony, on June 19 at Windsor Castle, will be a stark contrast to previous royal weddings - in a break with tradition it will be more of a continental affair.

The retired ambulance driver, of Thruxton Court, could not help ringing up the castle after he read in a national newspaper that the couple wanted to invite ordinary folk to join them when they tie the knot.

Windsor Palace bosses gave Mr Harvey one of the lucky tickets after he told them he shared his milestone birthday with the special day.

Now he will have a ringside view as the newlywed couple arrive at St George's Chapel - and will be first to glimpse the happy pair as they emerge as Mr and Mrs.

As a visitor he will also get a close-up of the 500 guests set to include Tony and Cherie Blair, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Billy Connolly.

The ticket he received on Monday allows him to stand with other members of the public in a special enclosure opposite the chapel.

Mr Harvey said when he heard the public were invited he thought it would be a nice way to spend his birthday.

He said: "I thought why not "It is something nice.

"So I rang the paper and they gave me the number of Buckingham Palace.

"At the palace they told me to ring Windsor Castle and I spoke to a woman who was dealing with it all. She said I was a bit early but I could have a ticket.

"I am really looking forward to it. I'm not a royalist but I love Windsor Castle and I like Prince Edward.

"I had a little cry when I received the ticket. I am going to take my camera and lots of film. "

He said: "I just did it as a spur-of-the-moment thing. It will be really nice rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. I got a new lounge suit a month ago so I'm all prepared."

The ceremony is due to take place at 5pm followed by a buffet dinner, reception and dancing in the state apartments.

The traditional sight of suited ladies in elaborate hats will be missing because women have been asked to wear gowns instead. Meanwhile men will be in the usual morning dress.

A spokesman from Buckingham Palace said that Mr Harvey was one of several thousand people selected on a first-come-first-served basis to be present in the castle precinct on the royal wedding day.

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