Royal Wedding: Kate Middleton to Spend Night Before Ceremony at Goring Hotel
Bride will share 5-room suite with mother, sister and waterproof flat screen.
LONDON, April 15, 2011— -- Kate Middleton's last night as a single woman and commoner will be spent at the swanky family-run Goring Hotel with her mother, sister and a waterproof flat-screen TV.
"We are honored and delighted to be playing a small part in such a great day," Jeremy Goring, the London hotel's CEO, said. "We wish Miss Middleton and Prince William every happiness, and we are looking forward to a momentous celebration."
The suite where Middleton willl be staying has just been given a $240,000 makeover.
It consists of five rooms, which the princess-to-be will share with sister Pippa and mother Carole.
There's a four-poster bed for Middleton, as well as a gigantic TV.
"If on her wedding morning Kate decides to have a bath, then she'll have a waterproof, flat-screen TV by her toes where she can no doubt watch herself on television with the build up," said Duncan Larcombe, royal editor at the Sun newspaper and ABC News contributor.
The living area has a grand piano, the wallpaper is made of silk and there's even a throne.
"It's quite over the top," said Larcombe, who was granted exclusive access to the suite. "It's kind of a cross between an antique shop and you're granny's front bedroom. ... It really doesn't do it for me."
The queen offered Middleton an apartment in Buckingham Palace but Prince William's bride-to-be chose the Goring. After all, it's neutral territory.
"Kate might be saying to herself, if only I'd taken the queen's offer of Buckingham Palace," Larcombe said.
Meanwhile, members the Household Cavalry, who will accompany the newlyweds from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, are running final rehearsals.
A bit of trivia: These horseman will actually paint their pants on the weddding day to make them extra white.
And, finally, Middleton and William's final pre-wedding appearance this week has sparked a flurry of concern over her slim figure.
She's being called Weighty Katy again, but this time because of her weight loss.
"I've never seen her looking this slim," Duncan Larcombe said. "More and more people are beginning to question, goodness, how much weight has she lost; is this a sign that she's absolutely terrified?"
"I think there's probably quite a lot of sympathy out there for Kate," the royal expert added.