With royal wedding fever gripping the nation, fans were gearing up to celebrate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day in spectacular style.

With excitement growing as the hours count down to the ceremony, wedding watchers donned their finery to provide a colourful backdrop to proceedings.

Royal Wedding preparations
Close up and personal: Rebecca Hiliard , Caroline Wagstaff and Jean Hood pose with a cut out of Harry and Meghan in Windsor ahead of the wedding (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Pleased to meet you: Royal fans greet each other as they take their positions outside Windsor Castle (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Pleased to meet you: Royal fans greet each other as they take their positions outside Windsor Castle (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Camping out: Fans make sure they get the best spot to view the Big Day (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Camping out: Fans make sure they get the best spot to view the big day (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Three cheers: Excited wedding fans get in the party spirit (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Three cheers: Excited wedding fans get in the party spirit (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Flying the flag: fans don their 'wedding best' (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Flying the flag: fans don their ‘wedding best’ (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Royal Wedding preparations
Nap time: It’s tiring work keeping hold of the best spot to view proceedings (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Global appeal: Fans have flown from around the world to see the royal wedding (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Global appeal: Fans have flown from around the world to see the royal wedding (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Time for a stroll: fans take a wander around Windsor before the Big Day (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Time for a stroll: Fans take a wander around Windsor before the Big Day (Owen Humphreys/PA)
A head start: top hats are the order of the day to mark the celebrations (Gareth Fuller/PA)
A head start: Top hats are the order of the day to mark the celebrations (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Wedding finery: T-shirt at the ready, a fan shows off her attire for the wedding surrounded by flags and balloons (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Wedding finery: T-shirt at the ready, a fan shows off her attire for the wedding surrounded by flags and balloons (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Picture perfect: one fan pays homage to the royal couple with a colourful montage (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Picture perfect: one fan pays homage to the royal couple with a colourful montage (Gareth Fuller/PA)
The real deal? Two schoolgirls wave at a cut-out of the Queen in Windsor (Owen Humphreys/PA)
The real deal? Two schoolgirls wave at a cut-out of the Queen in Windsor (Owen Humphreys/PA)
Trading in: Souvenir sellers show off their wares in Windsor (Steve Parsons/PA)
Trading in: Souvenir sellers show off their wares in Windsor (Steve Parsons/PA)
US support: Alex and Melisa Sirek from Orlando with Joshua Arane from Battersea on the Long walk in Windsor (Owen Humphreys/PA)
US support: Alex and Melisa Sirek from Orlando with Joshua Arane from Battersea on the Long walk in Windsor (Owen Humphreys/PA)