Royal wedding fan John Loughrey was the first reveler to set camp outside Westminster Abbey to secure himself a spot for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding this Friday.
The 56-year-old from London borough Wandsworth, told Reuters: “I have always been loyal to the Royal Family.”
Loughrey has been camping outside Westminster Abbey since Monday evening, and is planning to sleep there all week to beat the crowds as tens of thousands are expected to make their way into central London for the royal wedding on Friday.
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“I am a royalist and there’s a lot of royalists in this country,” Loughrey explained.
“I came here on bank holiday Monday, on the 25th of April, I came here exactly at five o’clock when the Big Ben chimed five times because it spells Diana’s name, D-I-A-N-A,” he added.
Loughrey, who has brought a sleeping bag and a few Union Jack carrier bags, said that he hoped it wouldn’t rain on Friday but said “us British are very used to it”, and that bad weather wouldn’t spoil the party.
“Diana would be very proud of her son Prince William and Catherine’s marriage and Prince Harry as best man,” he added.
76-year old mother-of-four Guen Murray, from Norfolk also set camp outside of Westminster Abbey on Tuesday armed with a suitcase, bedding as well as wool and knitting needles.
The mother-of-four said she would knit to kill time as she waits for the royal wedding day.