After the long, long courtship, the kiss we’d all waited to see

With their union sealed as husband and wife, newly-wed William and Kate shared tender moments on the famous balcony of Buckingham Palace to thunderous cheers from the crowds.

Never before had they displayed such affection to each other in front of the world.

But today was different, with a ring on Kate’s finger on their wedding day, the beaming couple embraced the moment and gave everyone what they had been waiting to see.

The chants of “kiss, kiss” from the thousands of well-wishers pressed up to the ornate iron gates of the Palace began soon after the couple emerged from the central room onto the decorated balcony with the Queen and the rest of the bridal party.

After just a minute and a half on the balcony, the bride and groom happily obliged, with William saying “Let’s kiss”.

They both leaned in for their first loving kiss - a brief one which left bashful William appearing to go a little red afterwards.

Just two minutes later, William turned to Kate, after encouragement from excited bridesmaid eight-year-old Margarita Armstrong-Jones, and appeared to say “One more kiss?”

The second kiss was longer, with the bride giggling and raising her shoulders afterwards, while shy William grinned broadly, appearing to say “That’s it” to the crowds.

It was a world away from the time when, during their lengthy courtship, they were extremely modest and private about their relationship, going to great lengths not to show their affection in public.

They would walk side by side but never holding hands.

Today, after a moment on the balcony alone, as they turned to return indoors, William touchingly took his new wife’s hand.

They headed back inside together, Kate giving one last smile and glancing over her shoulder at the rapturous scenes.

While the happy couple enjoyed the warmth shown them by the crowds and responded in kind, a typical family scene played out around them.

When the family members came out to join the newlyweds, they filed past them along the balcony.

Last to emerge was the Duke of Edinburgh who, realising the centre was where the couple were standing, immediately turned on his heels and went to the far end.

He joined grandson Prince Harry and Kate’s maid of honour, Pippa Middleton, and shared a joke with the pair, as James Middleton watched.

To the Duke’s right was the Queen, who chatted to the pageboys - Tom Pettifer, the eight-year-old son of William’s former nanny Tiggy Pettifer, and Billy Lowther-Pinkerton, the son of his private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.

At the other end were Michael and Carole Middleton with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

The bridesmaids stood at the front, trying to get a better view, and Camilla picked up her granddaughter, Eliza Lopes, to show her the crowds.

After a while, Charles scooped up three-year-old Eliza with his large hands and held her to his chest.

But the day’s excitement seemed to be a little too much for Grace van Cutsem, William’s three-year-old goddaughter.

Looking sullen, she covered her ears with her hands until Kate bent down to comfort her but as the flypast approached she repeated the gesture.

After the last plane had roared overhead, the Queen turned to go inside and was followed by the wedding party.