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By Ned Simons - 16th November 2010
The cabinet greeted the news of Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement with a "great banging of the table", David Cameron has said.
Speaking outside No. 10 Downing Street this afternoon the prime minister said the announcement that there is to be a royal wedding was a "great day for our country and for the royal family".
The prime minister was informed of the engagement during this morning's Cabinet meeting and said that the news was greeted by ministers with a "great cheer" and a "great banging of the table".
"This is incredibly exciting news and I'm sure the whole country will want to pass their very best wishes to the happy couple," he said.
He added: "I spoke to prince William a few moments ago and passed on my congratulations and welcomed the fact he had returned safely from Afghanistan.
And he said he told the second in line to the throne that the government stood ready to help make the occasion which would be a day of national celebration a "great success".
Labour leader Ed Miliband congratulated the couple and said "the whole country will be wishing them every happiness".
Prince William and his long term partner Kate Middleton are expected to get married in London in spring or summer next year.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are absolutely delighted for them both."
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