Who is in the Royal Wedding Party?

(EndPlay Staff Reports) - You wouldn't expect many similarities between the Royal Wedding and weddings thrown by the rest of the world.

But there are a few, including the fact that members of the wedding party were chosen largely because of their close relationships with Prince William, 28, and Kate Middleton, 29.

The couple named their royal wedding party in February and each member of the party was chosen by the couple.

No surprise that Prince Harry is the best man and Philippa 'Pippa' Middleton, Kate's younger sister, is the maid of honor at Friday's ceremony.

In England, groomsmen are called "page boys." For the Royal Wedding, they will include Billy Lowther-Pinkerton, 10, who is the son of Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Prince William's private secretary since 2005. Another Page boy is 8-year-old Tom Pettifer, the prince's godson. In the 1990s, the boy's mother, Tiggy Pettifer, was the Prince of Wales' personal assistant.

Young children will also serve as bridesmaids. Lady Louise Windsor, 7, is the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Prince William's first cousin. Also, 8-year-old Honorable Margarita Armstrong-Jones is the daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley and a second cousin of William.

Some are even younger, including William's goddaughter, 3-year-old Grace van Cutsem, and 3-year-old Eliza Lopes, the granddaughter of Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall.

According to a media briefing from the official royal wedding website, the bridesmaids and pages will perform the traditional role of bridesmaids and pages on the wedding day. 

On the morning of the wedding they will be with the bride. They also will accompany her down the aisle and return with the newly married couple up the aisle.

In addition, the bridesmaids and pages will have places in the Carriage Procession from the Abbey to Buckingham Palace.