Showbiz stars, the super-rich and royalty were among the guests mingling happily at the informal wedding of Edward and Sophie.

Unlike previous royal weddings - formal occasions attended by scores of crowned heads and state representatives - the St George's Chapel service was attended by 560 guests who were mainly friends and family.

Heading the senior Royal guests were the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who sat in the Quire on the right of the altar with the most senior Rhys-Joneses on the left.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh headed the Royal guests

The Queen Mother also sat in the Quire, accompanied by Princess Margaret.

There had been fears that Margaret would be unable to attend as she is still recovering from badly scalding her feet in March. However, she sat in a wheelchair and looked at ease.

Prince Edward's eldest brother, Prince Charles, and the Duke of York both acted as "supporters", the Royal equivalent of best men.

Charles' sons Prince William, who is 17 on Monday, and Prince Harry, 14, sat with Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice, 10, and Princess Eugenie, eight.

The Queen Mother sat with Princess Margaret

Neither Charles' partner Camilla Parker-Bowles nor the Duke of York's ex-wife Sarah were present.

Prince Edward's sister, the Princess Royal, attended with husband Commodore Timothy Laurence and children Peter, 21, and Zara Phillips, 18.

Viscount Linley absent

Minor Royals seated in the Quire included the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester with daughters Lady Davina and Lady Rose Windsor, and the Duke and Duchess of Kent with son Lord Nicholas Windsor, daughter Lady Helen Taylor and her husband Timothy.

Princes William and Harry sat with their cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

Also in the pews were Prince and Princess Michael of Kent with children Lord Frederick and Lady Gabriella Windsor. The Earl and Countess of St Andrews, Princess Alexandra with husband Sir Angus Ogilvy and daughter Marina, son James and his wife Julia, and the Earl of Snowdon with daughter Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband Daniel were also in the Quire.

Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon's son Viscount Linley was not present because his wife Serina is about to have their first child.

Royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke was among the guests in the Nave

Among the other senior guests were the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, and members of the Royal Household, including the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Camoys.

Sir Robin Janvrin, the Queen's private secretary, was also there, with Lord Fellowes, the former private secretary recently elevated to the peerage.

Sultan brings two wives

Prince William and Prince Harry's former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, was seated further back in the Nave, as was TV celebrity Sir David Frost, with more than 400 other guests in rows of chairs five deep.

Celebrity guests included composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and wife

Composer and impresario Lord Lloyd-Webber and actor Anthony Andrews were among the guests from the world of showbusiness.

Actress Ruthie Henshaw, who was once a girlfriend of Prince Edward's, and former racing driver Jackie Stewart, were also among the friends of the couple.

Many representatives from European royal families were also present.

The two wives of the Sultan of Brunei

Guests included Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, the Crown Prince of Norway, Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra of Denmark, Prince Guillame and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg.

Also from Europe were Prince Georg of Hanover, the Prince of Astorias, and Prince Philipp and Princess Xenia of Nohenlohe-Langenburg.

From slightly further afield, Prince El Hassan of Jordan and the Sultan of Brunei also watched the exchange of vows - the latter with his two wives.