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Royal wedding: A glimpse at opulent state rooms where guests will toast the newlyweds

29 MARCH 2011

Countless heads of state have dined here since the 1820s. The walls are decorated with red silk damask and hung with the portraits of monarchs throughout history.

This is Buckingham Palace's exquisite State Dining Room – just one of the 19 rooms which will be opened especially for the guests at Prince William and Kate Middleton's April 29 wedding reception.

CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR FULL GALLERY

With just one month to go until the big day, palace officials have released these pictures of the venue.

The main focus of the reception will be the Picture Gallery, where the wedding cake – a traditional multi-tiered fruit cake – will be on display.

Works by the old masters – Canaletto, Rembrant and Rubens – will be brought out from the vaults of the Royal Collection in honour of the bride and groom.

Assistant curator of the collection, Jennifer Scott, said: "Whenever we have a special event at Buckingham Palace, we make sure that the greatest artworks are on display.

 

"When you get an idea of the special quality of this place, it's magical, it really oozes history."

Those lucky enough to be invited to the reception will experience this sense of history as they walk under the fine crystal chandeliers which hang from the ornate ceiling of the Blue Drawing Room.

They will also be entertained in the Music Room, where pieces are likely to be played on the ornate grand piano which has seen some of the world's finest pianists tickling its ivories.