Royal turn of fortune for township
Charles and Camilla to wed in town hall not Windsor Castle
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 CNN's Walter Rodgers gauges reactions to the royal wedding announcement.
 CNN's Becky Anderson takes a closer look at Camilla Parker Bowles.
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LONDON, England -- An unexpected change of venue for the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles is a turn of fortune for the township that will now play host to the royal nuptials.
Instead of a wedding surrounded by the opulence of Windsor Castle as they had planned, Charles and Camilla will be tying the knot in the same fashion as thousands of Britons every year -- at their local town hall.
Clarence House, the official residence of the prince, announced Thursday that the April 8 union of the heir to the throne and his longtime love would take place at the Guildhall in Windsor, west of London. (Full story)
The move was pragmatic -- under British law, registering the castle as a wedding venue would mean opening it up for three years to commoners' weddings as well -- but the change will be profile-lifting for the 17th-century town hall.
The new venue also will allow the public to see -- in person or on television -- the couple arriving and leaving the hall, rather than having the event unfold behind the castle walls.
And it means the town will be part of the day's events and not just a spectator.
The town's mayor, Emrys Richards, said he was honored Charles and Camilla had chosen the venue.
"I don't think the couple will be disappointed with their choice," he told The Associated Press.
The Guildhall, built in 1690, is a sturdy building of brick and Portland stone, partly designed by Christopher Wren.
The hall is one of 29 approved venues for civil wedding ceremonies in the Windsor area. Local authorities charge £265 ($500) for a weekday ceremony -- plus £20 extra if, like Charles and Camilla, a couple wishes to wed on a Friday.
Local businesses were also looking forward to the big day.
Chris Wilkes, manager of the Three Tuns pub next to the Guildhall, told AP that Windsor hotels had been fully booked since the wedding date was announced on February 10.
"I think it's wonderful," he said of the venue change. "The whole public will be able to see it better."
Clarence House said the couple will exchange wedding rings made from Welsh gold, in keeping with a royal tradition begun by the Queen Mother Elizabeth in 1923.
After the ceremony, the proceedings will move to St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle where a blessing is to be led by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.
That will be followed by a reception at the castle's state apartments. About 700 friends and family are expected to attend the service -- a far cry from the 3,000 guests, and estimated million outdoor bystanders, who came to see Charles marry Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul's Cathedral in 1981.
The modest scale of the event is highlighted in Parker Bowles' choice of designer.
Robinson Valentine, a small London-based design company headed by Anna Valentine and Antonia Robinson, is a longtime favorite of Parker Bowles, and is credited with helping to transform her image from dowdy, outdoorsy aristocrat to classy royal consort.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
