Armed forces prepare for royal wedding

Service personnel from bases with links to Prince Harry are gearing up to provide ceremonial support at his wedding to Meghan Markle.

Twenty five members of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps from Wattisham Flying Station and another 25 personnel from RAF Honington will line the streets around Windsor Castle as part of the celebrations on Saturday.

They will be part of a 250-strong cohort from the Royal Navy, Army and RAF.

Prince Harry trained at Wattisham and served in Afghanistan with 662 Squadron, 3 Regt AAC.

Corporal Stuart Armstrong, an aviation communications specialist, worked with him during his flight training at Wattisham and will be on parade at the wedding.

"While Prince Harry - who was just known as Captain Wales to us - was training, I would be assisting him with mission planning and communications between the ground and air," he said.

"It's a huge honour for me to be on parade at the wedding and, through working with Prince Harry, to have a personal connection to such a massive global event."

Prince Harry is Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington and has paid numerous visits to the base, most recently last July.

Station Warrant Officer Sonya Darbyshire said: "Our connection with Prince Harry means a great deal to the station and as such all personnel involved have been specially selected for this prestigious event, and are of course proud to be representing the Royal Air Force, in this, our centenary year."

Among those holding community events on Saturday to celebrate the wedding is Bury St Edmunds' Boosh Bar, which has organised a street party in Skinner Street from noon to 6pm with cocktails in tea pots, afternoon teas served and bunting.

Mildenhall Lodge care home, in St John's Close, Mildenhall is opening its doors to the community from 11.30am for a street and tea party.