On April 29, expectant parents Prince William and Kate Middleton are celebrating their two-year wedding anniversary! In 2011, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tied the knot in a royal wedding seen 'round the world, breaking the record for the largest online live-streaming audience with a record 72 million live views from people across 188 countries. While many royal weddings don't garner the attention of Prince William and Kate Middleton's big day, they don't lack in lavishness.
Will and Kate's nuptials were part of a long tradition of elaborate royal weddings around the world. Last year, the tiny country of Luxembourg treated its Crown Prince Guillaume to an extravagant affair when he married Belgian Countess Stephanie de Lannoy. The celebration, which reportedly cost around $650,000 and was funded by taxpayers, spanned multiple days and included a guest list packed with kings, queens, and other royals from around the world. In Brunei, Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah, the fifth daughter of Brunei's sultan, married Pengiran Haji Muhammad Ruzaini at her father's 1,700-room palace in front of 3,000 guests. A state dinner followed, and Queen Elizabeth II even sent her best wishes.
These royals make up some of the lesser-known but just as regal royals of the world. And just like the Brits, they know how to throw opulent weddings for members of their families. From the wedding for the future emperor of Japan in 1924 to Grace Kelly's Monaco spectacular in 1956 to Will and Kate's big day on April 29, 2011, here is a guide to the world's royal weddings over the years.
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