Crowned heads attend Luxembourg royal wedding

LUXEMBOURG (AFP) - Crowned heads of Europe and ordinary citizens gathered on Saturday for Luxembourg's biggest royal event in decades to see heir-to-the-throne Prince Guillaume wed Belgian countess Stephanie de Lannoy.

Following the ceremony, thousands of people crammed the centre of Luxembourg city to see the pair exchange their first kiss in public as a married couple on the balcony of the royal couple.

The cream of Europe's royalty were on hand for the Catholic wedding mass at Notre Dame cathedral blending tradition with modernity, the day after the couple tied the knot in an intimate civil ceremony.

Luxembourg's openly gay mayor, Mr Bettel Xavier, was accompanied by his partner to the festivities, along with some 270 ordinary residents of the Grand Duchy.