Royal wedding: Neighbours in Edinburgh prepare for street party

It has been a labour of love for Louise who recently moved to Buckstone Road with her family – but, keen to make friends with her new neighbours, she saw the nuptials as the perfect opportunity to bond.

A staff nurse – who has been on a run of night shifts – and a mum of two children, it has not been easy for Louise to organise the celebration but with the help of her neighbours, she’s pulled it off and today can enjoy the spoils.

She said: “It has been a bit like another full time job but I’m very much looking forward to it.

“I’ve always followed the Royals and a street party seemed the perfect way to celebrate the wedding.”

Since deciding to hold the party four weeks ago, Louise has not been shirking her responsibilities.

She sent more than 40 letters out to local businesses asking for raffle prizes and applied to the council for a licence to close the road.

Luckily her application was made just in the nick of time and barriers will be erected at either end of the through-road from 1.30pm to 5pm.

Her call out for prizes was also well received and she has managed to collect everything from meal and wine vouchers to Royal wedding souvenirs and much, much more.

A full schedule of games is planned with old favourites such as egg and spoon races, toss the wellie and family football featuring.

Buckstone primary school, which her two children attend, have generously donated playground equipment to keep the children entertained and a bouncy castle is being hired for the day.

All of the money raised from the raffle will be donated to the Help for Heroes charity, a favourite of Harry’s.

Louise’s children are very excited about watching the prince wed his new princess.

Her seven-year-old daughter was only four months old when the last Royal Wedding took place and she cherishes a snap taken at a celebratory party of the two of them dressed up to the nines. Louise said: “She’s been so happy to be part of it.

“She was very excited at the birth of Prince Louis too.”

Both her son, ten, and her daughter have been treated to new outfits that are in keeping with the street party’s theme of red, white and blue.

With 40 homes on the street, Louise is expecting up to 100 people to join in the fun but with so many people on hand to help out – there is even a rota set up to deal with the sheer volume of events they have planned – there are no worries about being overwhelmed by the clean up on Sunday morning.

She said: “So many people have pitched in to help and there will be a collective clean up afterwards.”

Louise and her neighbours will not be alone in celebrating the marriage of a couple tying the knot 400 miles away from the Capital as the wedding fever spreads across the UK.

Fans will congregate to enjoy a drink or three during the proceedings at pubs throughout the capital, with the courtyard at The Pear Tree succumbing to wedding fever and live-screening the action from 12pm.

In the Cowgate, The Three Sisters will be tuned in to the action and are going the whole hog with themed drinks and menus for revellers.

The Queen’s favourite former holiday spot, Britannia, is laying on special spread of cocktails and a menu. Lucky holders of the Edinburgh Royal Bus Ticket, which tours across Edinburgh, will be gifted a favour box each with small tokens from each attraction. The Leonardo Hotel in Haymarket will give free cocktails to namesakes of the royal couple.