In possibly the least unexpected announcement in advance of April's royal wedding, Clarence House has announced that Prince Harry is to be the best man at his older brother Prince William's marriage service and Kate Middleton has asked her younger sister Philippa - known to her family as Pippa - to be her maid of honour.
The couple have also asked young relatives, assorted godchildren and friends' offspring to be bridesmaids and page boys for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey on 29 April.
They are: Lady Louise Windsor, the seven-year-old daughter of Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex; the Hon Margarita Armstrong-Jones, eight, daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley; Grace van Cutsem, three-year-old daughter of Hugh and Rose van Cutsem, friends of the couple; Eliza Lopes, also three, the Duchess of Cornwall's granddaughter; Billy Lowther-Pinkerton, the 10-year-old son of Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the former SAS officer who is William and Harry's private secretary; and eight-year-old Tom Pettifer, son of William's former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke. Grace van Cutsem and Tom Pettifer are godchildren of Prince William.
Bridegrooms in royal weddings traditionally chose a "supporter" instead of a best man. The Prince of Wales chose his brother Prince Andrew to be his supporter when he married Diana at St Paul's Cathedral in 1981. Prince William has opted to call his brother his "best man", rather than a supporter.
Prince Harry had welcomed the couple's engagement. In a statement following the announcement, Harry said: "I am delighted that my brother has popped the question! It means I get a sister, which I have always wanted." Harry, who is training to fly Apache attack helicopters, will have the role of planning William's stag do.
