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Royal wedding evening reception guests party

Kate Middleton and Prince William partied with family and friends at Buckingham Palace last night as they celebrated their marriage.

Kate changed into a second wedding dress for the evening do, while her husband swapped his dress uniform for black tie.

And they were joined by around 300 guests, including their families, as they danced the night away.

Welcome exchange at a somewhat sanitised event. The heart sank as, on reaching the square at 11, the sight that greeted you was Sky News's Adam Boulton practising his introduction. "As billions watch the romance of the royal wedding, here in central London.

Camilla wore a long light blue high-collared dress which had been hand-embroidered.

She and Prince Charles travelled from Clarence House back to Buckingham Palace with the newly-weds for the evening celebrations, where William's brother Prince Harry was due to make his best man's speech.

Maid of honour Pippa Middleton, Kate's 27-year-old sister, also changed for the do. She swapped her white Sarah Burton-designed bridesmaid dress for a glamorous floor-length emerald-green dress.

American-born artist Jennifer Verson had come down from Liverpool with her three-year-old daughter Ella and a group of friends. They were all dressed as zombies – anti-democratic, anti-egalitarian Britain being the land of the living dead. Her daughter was holding a sign saying "Princesses are pigs"; her friend clutched another saying "Princesses suck (their thumbs)

Queen and Prince Philip had earlier left Buckingham Palace, with Prince Charles the host for the evening reception.

The focal point for the party was expected to be the 36m by 18m ballroom, the largest of the palace's 775 rooms.

The white drawing room, music room, blue drawing room and state dining room - all found in the west wing - and the nearby picture gallery were also set to be used.

Pippa and other guests were seen returning to the Goring Hotel, where Kate's family have been based for the wedding, at around 3am.