Beckham, his hair swept back and with a medal awarded by Queen Elizabeth on his lapel, chatted with British film director Guy Ritchie before the ceremony in Westminster Abbey.
John waved to the crowds and gave a thumbs-up as he arrived with his partner David Furnish.
Former Prime Minister John Major was also among early arrivals at the Abbey. Major, a Conservative, was prime minister from 1990 to 1997. Prime Minister David Cameron, preparing to attend the wedding, said he was very excited.
“It’s a mixture of this amazing young couple, the fact they love each other, it’s also the institution, the national symbolism, the monarchy, the service of the royal family,” he said.
The guest list draws from a broad spectrum of society, the old establishment colliding with the brasher world of celebrity, reflecting William’s privileged background and his attempts to reach out to a wider public.
Published 29 April 2011, 18:07 IST