Royal wedding: William and Kate attend rehearsal

Prince William and Kate Middleton have attended a private wedding rehearsal at Westminster Abbey.

The one-and-a-half hour event, also involving senior clergy, the bride's parents and best man Prince Harry came ahead of Friday's ceremony.

Gardeners spent the day setting up an "avenue of trees" inside the abbey.

Earlier, up to 1,000 members of the military took part in a full-scale walk-through procession along the wedding route.

Carriages took part in the procession to Westminster Abbey, along with two royal fleet cars.

On Friday the carriage procession will pass along The Mall, Horse Guards Road, Horse Guards Parade, through Horse Guards Arch, along Whitehall, along the south side of Parliament Square and into Broad Sanctuary.

The wedding party set off from Clarence House and arrived at the abbey's precincts at 1930 BST in three silver-coloured people carriers with blacked-out windows, accompanied by motorcycle police and other officers in unmarked Range Rovers.

The convoy drove into Dean's Yard out of sight of a group of spectators but William and his fiancee, along with Harry, were captured leaving the vehicles by some TV crews.

William and Harry were dressed in dark suits but did not appear to be wearing ties and Miss Middleton wore a black jacket and a blue skirt.

A St James's Palace spokesman said: "The couple are attending a private wedding rehearsal at the abbey...

"The rehearsal is for them and the clergy, and others taking part in the service, such as Prince Harry and the Middleton family."

They left the site shortly after 2100 BST.

Miss Middleton's parents, Michael and Carole, earlier left their Berkshire home for the drive to London where they will be staying at the Goring hotel in Belgravia for the next three nights.

They were joined by their daughter Pippa - Kate's maid of honour - and son James.

David Cameron, meanwhile, sent his best wishes to the couple during prime minister's questions in the Commons.

The prime minister told MPs the "whole world" was looking forward to the ceremony.

VisitBritain has predicted an extra 600,000 people will be in the capital on Friday for the wedding and some royal enthusiasts have already begun pitching tents outside the abbey.

The abbey closed its doors to the public on Tuesday so that preparations could get under way.

Crowds have already begun to gather outside Westminster Abbey

Large containers of green cuttings have been arriving from the royal estates of Sandringham and Windsor.

Six field maples and two hornbeams are to flank the route to the altar as part of Kate Middleton's floral plans.

Wedding florists say the choice of white, green and cream foliage reflects the bride's English country style.