Olympic torch lights up London... and it's absolutely fabulous: Tens of thousands line streets as flame arrives at Buckingham Palace Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179187/Olympic-Torch-Relay-2012-Olympic-torch-lights-London--absolutely-fabulous-Tens-thousands-line-streets-flame-arrives-Buckingham-Palace.html#ixzz21v98s1zq

• Wills, Kate and Harry are all smiles as they meet torchbearers Wai-Ming Lee and John Hulse in Buckingham Palace
• Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha witness Torch arriving at Downing Street
• Joanna Lumley and Absolutely Fabulous co-star Jennifer Saunders divided torch-carrying duties as it passed through Sloane Square
• Comedian Walliams 'humbled' as he carries torch through streets of Islington, north London
• On Day 69 of torch relay, the flame visited some of the most recognisable sights across the capital
• Huge crowds gather at St Paul's, Camden Lock and the Globe Theatre to receive torch bearers
• Who will light the cauldron at the opening ceremony on Friday still to be revealed
• Crowds gather in Hyde Park for finale concert to celebrate flame's arrival
• On Tuesday two men took torch to new heights as they leapt from a plane at 15,000ft
  

After travelling nearly 8,000 miles, the Olympic Torch was finally welcomed to Buckingham Palace today by Prince William and Kate - signalling the final countdown to the opening ceremony tomorrow.
The smiling Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry witnessed the 'torch kiss' between Wai-Ming Lee and the next torchbearer John Hulse who carried it out of the palace towards Constitution Hill where it continued on to Hyde Park.
An estimated 80,000 crowd had gathered in the park to witness torchbearer Tyler Rix, a young footballer and musician, carry the flame on to the stage and light a huge cauldron to mark the start of a special concert to celebrate the torch's arrival.  

Meeting royalty: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry watch Wai-Ming hand over the London 2012 Olympic Torch to John Hulse at Buckingham Palace

Passing the flame: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were joined by 40 children from the Team GB Ambition Programme as they watched Wai-Ming hand over the London 2012 Olympic Torch to John Hulse

Royal approval: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cheer on the torchbearers, left, after the couple and Prince Harry eagerly awaited for them to arrive at the Palace 

Outside the palace: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and 40 children from the Team GB Ambition Programme wait for the Torch to arrive

Raising the flame: John Hulse gets ready to start his run out of Buckingham Palace with the Torch

Mayor of London Boris Johnson told the crowd at Hyde Park: 'I have never seen anything like this in all my life. The excitement is growing all the time, the Geiger counter of Olympic mania is going to go off the scale.
'The people from around the world are coming and seeing the greatest city in the world there are some people coming who don't yet know about the preparations we have been doing for the last seven years.
'The stadiums are ready, the transport infrastructure is ready and our Team GB athletes are ready - they are going to win more gold, silver and bronze medals than you would need to bail out Spain and Greece together!'

Relight my fire: Torchbearer Tyler Rix lights the Olympic cauldron starting the concert to welcome the Torch's arrival in London's Hyde Park

Doing it in style: Tyler Rix, 19, from Woodside Park, was the final Torchbearer to carry the Olympic Flame today before the relay starts again in Hampton Court tomorrow

Proud: Torchbearer Tyler Rix and London Mayor Boris Johnson wave to the crowd after the lighting of the Olympic cauldron

'We are ready!': Mayor Boris Johnson talks to the huge crowd at Hyde Park today - telling them: 'Olympic mania is going off the scale'

Now that's a crowd: Thousands descended on Hyde Park for a concert to celebrate the Torch arrival as the 24-hour countdown to the opening ceremony approached

It comes shortly after the Torch was bought to Downing Street by the first ever female member of the British Royal Navy, Kate Nesbitt, from Trafalgar Square along streets lined with cheering crowds.
Ms Nesbitt - also the second woman in the British Armed forces to be awarded the Military Cross and the medal for bravery for actions in Afghanistan during March 2009 - then passed the flame on to Florence Rowe, 81, outside Number 10 in front of Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha.
David Cameron has dismissed concerns that Britons might not be behind the London Olympics - saying the enthusiasm which had greeted the torch relay over the last two months showed they were not a London Games, not an England Games, but a United Kingdom Games.

Crowds surround a torchbearer carrying the Olympic flame along Whitehall towards Parliament Square on the penultimate day of its journey around the UK before arriving in the Olympic Stadium on Friday evening for the Olympic games' Opening Ceremony

At Number 10: Olympic torch bearer Kate Nesbitt with Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron in Downing Street today

Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha look on as Olympic torch bearer Florence Rowe sets off from Downing Street

X marks the spot: The Olympic Torch is carried through Oxford Circus as thousands gathered in the streets and peered out of office windows to watch it pass

Mr Cameron said: 'Let's put our best foot forward, we're an amazing country with fantastic things to offer. This is a great moment for us, let's seize it.
'The worries we all have are the great hopes and fears. Our fingers are crossed for everything from the events to the weather to the transport infrastructure and everything else.

'But, from where I stand, I think we're set for a really remarkable few weeks for Britain, when we welcome the world, say this is a great country to come, enjoy the Olympics, but also think of all the other things we've got to offer.'
He went on: 'Of course, this is a time of some economic difficulty for the UK, everybody knows that. But look at what we're capable of achieving as a nation, even at a difficult economic time.

Sophie Countess of Wessex with her daughter Lady Louise Viscount and son James, the Viscount Severn, watching the Olympic Torch Relay pass through Buckingham Palace

Showing off the flag: James, Viscount Severn, shows off his Union Jack flag to his mother Sophie Countess of Wessex as the Torch goes past

The Olympic torch relay is carried through the front gates of Buckingham Palace to where members of the Royal family were waiting

'In terms of the country coming together, I think the torch relay really demonstrates that this is not a London Games, this is not an England Games, this is a United Kingdom Games.'
It comes after another star-studded day where Joanna Lumley and Absolutely Fabulous co-star Jennifer Saunders divided torch-carrying duties as it passed through Sloane Square, on a day when the flame was paraded in front of a number of London's most iconic landmarks.
The pair smiled and waved to the hundreds of spectators who lined the route to cheer them on, as they completed the leg in a quick walk.

Thousands of spectators cheer on the Torch Relay along Regent Street in central London just a day before the opening ceremony

The Olympic Torch is carried on top of an open top bus down London's busiest shopping high street, Oxford Street, on day 68 of a 70-day relay

The London Olympic Torch Bus slowly makes its way through the crowds along Oxford Street as thousands attend to see it on its way to Hyde Park

The women still had time to stop and soak up the atmosphere, as they struck up poses reminiscent of when Lumley and Saunders played Patsie and Edina in the hit sitcom.
Lumley and Saunders helped the torch on its way to see an even more grand sight than the streets of Chelsea.
By the time the ladies had their hands on the flame on Day 69 of the relay, the torch had already gone past a host of impressive London landmarks such as St Paul's, Camden Lock and the Museum of London. 
Tomorrow the torch will enter the Olympic Park, and will be used to light the cauldron. At least that's one part of creative director Danny Boyle's opening ceremony that isn't enshrined in mystery.

Absolutely Fabulous day to bear torch: Joanna Lumley (right) and Jennifer Saunders carried the torch through Sloane Square on the penultimate day of the relay

Ab Fab: Absolutely Fabulous stars Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders are surrounded by a sea of people as they carry the Torch through west London

Striking a pose: The comedy stars went for a jaunty walk with the torch and seemed to be enjoying every minute of it

Party atmosphere: The torch has been followed by joyous crowds all day

Crowds began to gather throughout the afternoon at Hyde Park where a finale concert took place in celebration of the torch's arrival.
Earlier in the day, television icon Sir Bruce Forsyth larked about with the flame in front of the BBC White City Television Centre, and the 84-year-old showed once more just how much of a showman he is.
Fellow sitcom star and comedian David Walliams told how he was 'humbled' to carry the Olympic torch through Islington.

Standing in wait: Fans gathered at Hyde Park as they prepared to watch the celebratory finale concert

Here we go: The sun was beating down as the concert began and the fans were finally satisfied

Olympic fever: Thousands gathered in Hyde Park where there a concert celebrated the Torch's arrival

Walliams set off from the town hall in the centre of Islington while being cheered on by an appreciative audience.
The co-creator of Little Britain was surprised and delighted to have even been asked to carry the torch, and said that although jogging was not his forte, running and waving is far easier than swimming and waving.
Walliams has raised a great deal of money for various charities by undertaking gruelling long-distance swimming challenges.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sets off with the Olympic Torch from Parliament Square towards Constitution Hill

Strictly Come Dancing: TV presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth shows off his moves as he carries the Olympic Flame through Kensington and Chelsea

Here he is! Sir Bruce Forsyth larked about with the torch in front of the BBC Television Centre in White City

Proud: David Walliams carried the Olympic flame from Islington's town hall on the penultimate day of the relay

Passing it on: Walliams (left) handed the torch over to the next bearer, Philip Packer, as it continues on its way to Stratford

Charity fundraiser Walliams carried the flame at around 8.30am outside Islington Town Hall, as it made its way towards St Paul's Cathedral.
Walliams said: 'I felt really humbled to be a part of it. This torch and this flame is bigger than anybody out there and there's something about the spirit and I really got a sense of that running along.
'You can't really get lost on Upper Street and I had a wonderful response. I was thrilled to be asked to do it, especially so near to the Olympics starting.'
The 40-year-old, whose fundraising feats include swimming the English Channel, the River Thames and the Straits of Gibraltar, added: 'I'm not a natural runner but it's much easier to run and wave than swim and wave. When I was swimming the Thames there were people lining the banks so I had to stop to wave to them and it slowed me down.

What a view! The torch is set to see some of London's most memorable sights... all in one day. Here it is outside St Paul's Cathedral

Picturesque: Kevin Craig (right) passes the Olympic flame to John Elbrow (left) outside St Paul's Cathedral on the bright morning

Mr Elbrow then paraded the torch around St Paul's as the gleeful crowd watched him pass

'It was fantastic to be a part of it, I've been looking forward to it for ages. You get to keep the tracksuit, which is the most important thing. You have to buy the torch. There was a lovely response and I know I'm only a small part of it but it felt very special.
'I'm not a natural jogger, let alone runner, but it's only 300 metres so I did manage it. I started off walking, then I went into a jog, then I thought I would show off and started running and then it was all over. I'm glad it wasn't much further.'
The torch's journey began shortly before 7am with Clive Woodward, Team GB's deputy chef de mission and manager of the England 2003 World Cup Rugby winners, starting the relay from the Roundhouse in Camden.

Carrying the flame: The Daily Mail's Charles Sale runs with the Olympic torch through the streets of London today

Water bound: The torch was carried by Paris Walker on a barge on Camden Lock, as it was guarded by some young kayakers

Going somewhere? The flame also arrived at St Pancras rail station before its royal appointment at Buckingham Palace later today

Good day out? Robert Swannell holds the flame at the Museum of London

Scout volunteer Jon Sayer will have the honour of carrying the flame to the gates of the Queen's official London home this evening, when he will meet the Duchess.
The 33-year-old, described as an inspirational helper who saved the life of a man who had jumped into a river swollen with rainwater last year, was chosen to take part in the relay after the Duchess asked for a fellow Scout to participate in this prestigious leg of the event.
Mr Sayer, from Todmorden in West Yorkshire, is one of three volunteers helping to carry the Olympic flame through the palace the day before the Queen officially opens the Games.
William nominated his charity Mountain Rescue to take part and John Hulse was given the honour, and Wai-Ming Lee from MapAction was picked after Prince Harry, the organisation's royal patron, put it forward.

Brixton town: The Olympic Torch, bottom right, is carried through the crowd packed streets of central Brixton

Patient: A man waits in Brixton to see the torch as it headed south of the river for a detour

Privilege: Walliams (left) and other torch bearers, like Kelvin Graig (right), carried the torch through the streets with pride

The three royals are ambassadors for Team GB and ParalympicsGB and will be joined at the leg by 40 athletes from the Team GB Ambition Programme, which aims to encourage future sports stars.
Elsewhere in the capital, celebrities including rugby heroes Lawrence Dallaglio and Lewis Moody will carry the flame, as well as surprise guests like Jennifer Saunders.
Meanwhile, mystery still surrounds the identity of the person who will light the Olympic flame at tomorrow’s opening ceremony, but Locog chief executive Paul Deighton said that the final choice was surprisingly easy.
Mr Deighton, who sat on the panel which made the selection, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It was surprising how we reached unanimity pretty quickly.
'I think when everyone sees our choice last night they will understand why we made it.'

Drop in on the Globe: Ify Egesi had the honour of taking the torch to see the interior of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Crowds gathered inside the theatre to see a slightly different spectacle than they were accustomed to

Earlier in the week, Chris McCann, 50, leapt 15,000ft out of a plane above Peterborough, brandishing an official Games torch.
The beacon had earlier been carried through Norwich by official torch bearer James Colley, 23, who jumped alongside Chris on Tuesday afternoon. 
They plummeted in free fall for one minute before deploying their parachutes and it then took five more minutes to reach the ground.
Chris, who is a parachuting instructor, said it was the 'strangest' thing he had ever done.
The father-of-four-said said: 'It was an amazing thing to do.

Let it shine: Daniel McCubbin (left) and Luke Corduner (right) carried the torch inside London St Pancras station

Dizzy heights: Chris McCann (right) and official torch bearer James Colley took the flame with then on the 15,000ft sky dive

'It has to be the strangest thing I have ever leapt out of a plane with and I have done more than 8,000 jumps.
'It was actually quite hard to hold as it altered my wind resistance. Up there the forces are also a lot stronger so it was difficult to keep a grip of it.
'But it was tethered to my arm - the last thing we wanted to do was drop the thing from that high up.
'James came up with the idea after carrying the torch through Norwich but he is not experienced enough to hold it so I had to jump with him.
'It's great we must be the first to have ever jumped with the Olympic torch.'
James who is studying Chemistry at the University of East Anglia, said: 'It was a bit of a crazy idea but I am glad we did it.
'It was great running with the torch but this was even better.'
Photographer Mark Harris, 36, jumped with the pair and took the amazing snaps.