Islanders have welcomed the news that Prince William is to marry his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton.

The couple announced their engagement in a statement from Clarence House on Tuesday.

The first major royal wedding in 25 years will take place in London next spring or summer after William, who met Kate at university, proposed last month during a holiday in Kenya.

Great-grandma Mary Schembri said the news was a lovely surprise and had made her day.

Lifelong royalist Mary, who lives in Broadway, Sheerness, said she has never been to watch a royal wedding but hopes to next year.

The 78-year-old said: “I would love to go and will do my best to get up there – I have always wanted to go to a royal wedding. I’m not good at travelling alone but I would go if somebody organised something.

“What a lovely surprise – it’s made my day with everything bad that’s going on.

“I hoped he would marry her because she’s so beautiful and they are so suited to each other.

“I love William because he looks so much like his mum. I loved Diana.”

Mary said the day after Princess Diana’s funeral she travelled up to London and said she had never seen anything like it.

Sheppey psychic Charlotte Clark, who predicted the wedding for the Times Guardian last month, said she had goosebumps when she heard the announcement.

Charlotte, of Marian Avenue, Minster, said she was really pleased at the news but was surprised with how quickly it had happened after she had her vision.

She said her psychic guide David had told of a spring wedding, with streets lined with flowers and a big and happy occasion.

Charlotte said: “I was thinking the announcement was going to be made after Christmas so I’m not surprised it’s happening but I’m surprised it’s happened so quickly.

“I trust my guide and I know 100 per cent he gives me the right information. I’m really pleased.”

The wedding wasn’t the only royal prediction Charlotte had for us – she also saw a car with a royal emblem and feels there will be an important visit from someone who will come to open a large building at the eastern end of Sheppey within the next eight months.