Wills and Kate's final rehearsal: Royal couple run through wedding service

Trial run: the 1902 State Landau carriage that will carry the royal couple from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace in The Mall today

Kate Middleton and Prince William were back together today to hold last-minute rehearsals as the final countdown to Friday's royal wedding got under way.

Miss Middleton drove from the family home in Bucklebury to Clarence House, where the couple were said to have met the Dean of Westminster Abbey for a run-through of the wedding service.

The bride-to-be, 29, set off from Berkshire at 8.45am - the last time she will leave home as a single woman - with only her police protection officer for company.

She greeted her fiancé, 28, at his London residence for the meeting with Dr John Hall, who will conduct the service and be the first to welcome her when she arrives at the abbey with her father on Friday. The couple are also expected to rehearse their vows at the abbey before the big day. A royal spokesman said: "There will be final preparations happening over the last couple of days."

With less than 48 hours to go, a growing band of spectators from across the world set up camp outside Westminster Abbey as teams of florists arrived to decorate it in "unpretentious" white, green and cream foliage to reflect the bride's English country style.

At Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron sent the couple his best wishes and said: "People across the country and indeed across the world are getting excited. I'm sure the House will want to join me in sending our best wishes to Prince William and Catherine Middleton ahead of their wedding and to wish them a long, happy life together."

Labour leader Ed Miliband, who is getting married next month, echoed Mr Cameron's message. But he delivered a jibe following earlier confusion over whether Mr Cameron would be wearing a morning suit. "We'll all do our best to be suitably attired for the occasion," he said.

The day began with road closures around Westminster to let 1,500 Armed Forces members, many on horseback, prepare for their role in the ceremonial procession escorting the newlyweds to Buckingham Palace.

RAF crews - who will fly seven planes, including a Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - spoke of the challenge of timing the 1.30pm flypast as the couple kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Antony Parkinson, flight lieutenant of the Spitfire, said: "We're a bit nervous. The real unknown is the weather so I think we will all wake up on Friday and be studying it in great detail."

Forecasters today warned the one million people expected to travel to central London to bring umbrellas.

Rain is predicted early on Friday before clearing away and there will be a risk of showers later in the day, with temperatures around 19C. Forecaster Paul Mott of MeteoGroup said it looked "more likely to be dry than not" when Miss Middleton steps from a Rolls-Royce at 11am outside the abbey.

Security checks were today stepped up at the Goring Hotel near Buckingham Palace where Miss Middleton will spend her last night as a single woman.Prince William's spokesman confirmed that the second-in-line to the throne will spend his last night as a single man having a private dinner at Clarence House with his father the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and his brother and best man Prince Harry.

At the abbey today, Shane Connolly, artistic director of flowers at the royal wedding, revealed that the building will be awash with neutral shades on the big day.

"The theme is that everything is English, seasonal and from the estates," he said. "All along Catherine has asked that it be all neutral, colour-wise, so it's all creams, whites and greens."

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