Kate Middleton’s shock wedding day bomb threat drama revealed

Police were alerted just 20 minutes before Kate Middleton's wedding to Prince William

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge travel down The Mall, on route to Buckingham Palace, in the 1902 State Landau horse drawn carriage following their wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England
(Image credit: Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Kate Middleton’s wedding to Prince William might have been a stunning royal occasion, but a bomb threat reportedly caused extreme concern earlier that morning.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding day was watched by thousands of royal fans, with many people eager to tune in and see the future king and queen tie the knot in majestic style at Westminster Abbey. Kate’s beautiful Alexander McQueen wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton perfectly reflected her personality. Whilst the balcony kiss between the married couple at Buckingham Palace afterward will never be forgotten. 

Prince Charles even reportedly helped pick the music for the couple’s special day and Prince Harry whispered something particularly heartfelt to William as Kate walked down the aisle. 

But despite the beauty and emotion of the day, a new documentary has suggested that things were not quite so calm just a short while earlier.

More from woman&home:

  • Best blenders - make smoothies, soups, sauces and desserts with blenders for every budget
  • Best pillow - for a comfortable, pain-free night’s sleep whether you’re a back, side or stomach snoozer
  • Best air purifiers - improve air quality in your home with our pick of the top models

In ITV’s The Day Will and Kate Got Married, Bob Broadhurst, The Metropolitan Police Gold Commander on the wedding day opened up about a potential threat they identified that morning. 

"My fear is there's some sort of 'Guy Fawkes-ean' plot going on behind closed doors to actually potentially put a bomb somewhere," Bob explained. 

He revealed they were on high alert for an “odd individual” or “fixated people who for whatever reason are obsessed with the Royal Family who might just sneak under your car."

The car carrying Catherine Middleton and her father Michael Middleton is seen ahead of the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England

(Image credit: Photo by Marc Aspland - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

However, despite the efforts of the 5,000 police officers deployed on the day, 20 minutes before Kate was due to leave the Goring Hotel to walk down the aisle, police were alerted to the presence of an unidentified vehicle entering the secure zone. 

"I don’t know how it happened and I don’t really want to know how it happened to this day”, Bob said. “But someone in a car got through the secure zone, drove up close to The Goring just around the corner, got out the car and legged it and joined the crowd.

"Now we have a real problem. This is a potential bomb in the car."

In response, the police considered changing their plans, though there were also concerns that Kate wouldn’t make it on time in this case.

Luckily for all involved, explosive officers soon established there was no bomb in the vehicle and Kate and her father Michael Middleton were able to travel safely from the hotel to Westminster Abbey as planned.

Prince William and Kate married in a beautiful ceremony, before delighting royal fans with their balcony kiss afterward.

Their special day remains as memorable as ever and this month marks their momentous tenth wedding anniversary.

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!