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PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT

Countdown to the Royal Wedding

Aired April 25, 2011 - 21:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


PIERS MORGAN, HOST: Welcome to London and a special edition of PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT.

Every night this week I'll give you the inside track on what many are calling the biggest event in television history. The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Tonight, Scotland Yard's terror fears and it's not what you think.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we hear from Northern Ireland is kind of a rising type of threat.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN: Plus Diana's dress designer on what to expect from Kate Middleton's top secret choice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sure there'll be some fashion twist. Something unexpected.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN: And a former palace insider tells us what's on the menu behind the gates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it will be contemporary British food. I think it will be quite simple, quite fresh, beautifully presented.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN: I knew Princess Diana and I watched William and Harry grow up, and now I'll take you behind palace gates for the inside story of the biggest wedding of all time.

This is a special royal edition of PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT in London. Good evening. And welcome to London where I'm hosting a special edition of PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT every night this week. Here we are in the backdrop of Buckingham Palace which will be the focal point of the world's attention for the next five days until the big wedding.

And there's no one better to turn to immediately than Katie Nicholl, royal expert.

You'll be with me every day this week, Katie.

The most extraordinary thing has happened. We're in the middle of April in England and it's sunny and warm.

KATIE NICHOLL, PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: I know.

MORGAN: What's happened?

NICHOLL: Well, I think you just jinxed it, Piers, because unfortunately the weather is set to change and there are predictions we will have a few showers on Friday, but it's April and Britain is known for having April showers. So whether or not they come out in the state land on carriage or the glass coach because they'll need to be covered, we'll wait and see.

But things (INAUDIBLE), because look at the crowds this weather is attracting. It's fantastic. This is the best city in the sunshine.

MORGAN: I mean tell me -- tell me about the excitement factor because this is the biggest royal event we've seen, I mean, since the very sad event of Diana's funeral and before that her own wedding.

I can feel it building. I haven't been back to London in a while. And it is tangible. The crowds amassing. We're still five days away. How does it feeling to you?

NICHOLL: I mean it is tangible. There is a freeze and a big excitement. I've been broadcasting from here for quite, quite a few days now. And it is just building and building. And you felt this is it. This is countdown time.

And I cannot wait to watch this. It's an historic moment. I certainly can't remember any time when there's been this much of -- just an expectation and let's face it, we've been waiting for this wedding -- I certainly have -- for a very long time.

And it's a great news story. You can't poke holes in it. It is just good news. Let's celebrate. And let Britain do what we do the very best which is pomp and pageantry.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: Very true. And there's a big story that you broke yesterday about what's going to be going on on the wedding day. Prince Harry, the best man, has seized control of the palace. Is this true? NICHOLL: Yes. It's true. Three of the state rooms in Buckingham Palace are going to be converted for one night only into a nightclub. Now, who better to do this and an all-night party that's going to rock into the hours than Prince Harry. He's organized a bar. He's instructed courtiers. Champagne mustn't stop flowing and come 6:00 there will be bacon (INAUDIBLE) and for all the guests still standing and partying into the early hours. It's going to be a party.

MORGAN: Good old Harry.

And what about the guest list? Like all weddings it's been a bit of a nightmare for the royal couple. Who to leave off, who invite because it's a royal event. They have to invite certain people, but they haven't invited former prime ministers Tony Blair or Gordon Brown.

I was surprised by that.

NICHOLL: Yes, I was surprised, too. It is not a state wedding. I think that's what we have to remember. This is about their friends primarily.

And you know what, Piers, out of all of the 1900 guests that are invited, over 1,000 are their friends. And these are not friends that have been demoted to the (INAUDIBLE). These are friends that are sitting right at the top in the transect (ph) with foreign royals, with dignitaries, with the current prime minister, but no Blair and no Brown.

In fact the only former prime minister is John Major because he was appointed a guardian to Prince William after the couple split up.

MORGAN: But there is crucially the landlord of the Middleton's local pub.

NICHOLL: There's the landlord. There's the butcher. I would say the baker and the (INAUDIBLE) did make it, too. The village of Bucklebury is very small. The Middletons have a lot of friends there. And actually, if you look at the (INAUDIBLE) guest list, it is mostly neighbors and their friends. I think they want to keep this as intimate as possible.

MORGAN: Katie Nicholl, thank you very much. I'll speak to you again tomorrow night.

Now we come to a slightly more serious tone on this.

Kevin Toolis, you're a terrorism expert. There was a rather alarming story in the papers yesterday here that the IRA or a splinter group of the IRA, the Irish Republican terrorist group, may be planning some sort of atrocity to coincide with the wedding.

What have we heard about this?

KEVIN TOOLIS, AUTHOR, TERRORISM EXPERT: Well, it's true that not everyone wishes the happy couple, you know, a very peaceful day. And what we hear from Northern Ireland is a kind rising tide of threat. There's been a whole series of incidents, there've been the killing of a policeman, there's been a rare capture of arms and explosives.

And really background noise is telling us the Irish Republicans, this tiny faction, are back on the terrorism trail, and they want to make a lot of noise. They want to let off bombs and kill people.

MORGAN: And the worry thing is the police appear to think they now have the capability to do something pretty nasty. It may not necessarily be in London but it may be timed to distract the world's attention from the wedding.

TOOLIS: These groups are really small. They're not even like the old original IRA. But the thing is you learn about their capability once they've achieved it. And they obviously would like to make an impact on the world stage. And one of the places to do that would be London.

MORGAN: And the royal family, of course, to Irish Republicans represent really the worst of the worst. They're sort of imperialistic leaders of Britain who they do not want to be ruled by.

TOOLIS: I think it's to do with symbolism. This symbolizes the British crown in Ireland and they're regarded -- the British crown in Ireland -- as illegitimate. It's like -- it's the longest war that the world has ever known and these people are determined to really -- just to keep on fighting.

MORGAN: What kind of preparations has there been security wise for this event?

TOOLIS: Well, obviously there's been a massive security operation in London and good security is invisible security. But this is an event that has obviously been planned long in advance. I think we'd like to see lots and lots of security on the day and even prior to it in terms of checking for explosives and covering the route. I mean everyone knows that the world's attention will be on this place.

MORGAN: And indeed it's the biggest gathering of famous notable figures in the world for a very long time.

TOOLIS: I mean I don't think really at the moment that these IRA splinter groups have the capability of doing it but you learn about that capability by them carrying out the acts in secret. And that threat is certainly higher than it's ever been for many, many years.

MORGAN: And the only threats not necessarily from Irish Republicans, it might also be from al Qaeda. We've seen them launch various attacks in London in recent years.

Are people worried about that as well?

TOOLIS: Well, obviously that whole background we -- you know, is terrorism still goes on? And again this is another venue and stage where you can magnify the impact. You think about the attacks on 9/11 in New York, they were really to draw the world's attention to this tiny terrorist group and their agenda and the (INAUDIBLE). Similarly this royal wedding could be used by these terrorist groups to try and get attention for the (INAUDIBLE).

MORGAN: Kevin Toolis, thank you very much indeed.

TOOLIS: Good to see you.

MORGAN: Next, a woman who's played a royal bride and is covering the wedding of William and Kate. The beautiful Jane Seymour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM, PRINCE OF WALES: It gives me huge pleasure to be introducing to this relationship here and now someone who is not only about to join the family but is also about to become an Anglo Solian.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN: I went back inside now at our home for the next week, a studio right outside Buckingham Palace. And joining me is the Hollywood version of a British princess, Jane Seymour, OBE, who is a special correspondent on the royal wedding this week for "Entertainment Tonight."

Jane, thank you so much for joining me.

JANE SEYMOUR, OBE, ACTRESS: You're welcome.

MORGAN: You've always been to me a kind of princess.

(LAUGHTER)

SEYMOUR: Well, thank you.

MORGAN: How do you feel about that?

SEYMOUR: I've played them. I played Wallis Simpson. I got pretty close.

MORGAN: I know. I know you do.

SEYMOUR: Married a future king.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: What does this all mean to the Brits in particular? Why is this such a huge event do you think?

SEYMOUR: Well, I think this is Britain at its greatest, at its best. The pageantry and everything. And at the same time everyone loved Diana so much so to have her eldest son marry a commoner, marry -- you know, one of their kind, Kate, I think is very, very special. Everyone is really excited. MORGAN: People in America tend to think the word commoner is sort of insulting to them. But it's not at all. It's actually -- I think people in Britain feel really proud that William has chosen as his -- as his wife someone who hasn't been born into pageantry or royalty or any of those things. She's from an ordinary family.

SEYMOUR: Absolutely. And I think also the way that William was raised. I mean he didn't go to Gordonstoun like Prince Charles so he wasn't kind of kept away from normal life. He was given as normal a life as he could have under the circumstances.

And I think the fact that he went out of his way to choose someone he clearly loved, spent time really getting to know her, living reasonably humbly in a kind of way, and quietly, I think everyone just feels it's the real thing.

MORGAN: Did you ever meet Diana?

SEYMOUR: I did. I did. I got to spend some time with Diana at a private party. And I was around the whole polo world. And I knew Prince Charles. And I actually was alone at a table talking to her. We talked about children for about half an hour.

MORGAN: And what was she like?

SEYMOUR: She was really normal. Really sweet. All she cared about was talking about the kids and what they were doing at school and you know what it was like being a mom and stuff like that. She was just very normal.

MORGAN: I had an extraordinary lunch with her, just with her and Prince William once. And he was about 13. And I looked at my notes from that lunch recently to remind myself. And I remember a wonderful moment.

It was the day after he had been seen kissing his first ever girlfriend at the (INAUDIBLE) Polo Disco about three miles down the road from here. And Diana was teasing him all lunch about his first kiss.

And it was -- it seemed really poignant now when I look back on it, because since then we've had the terrible tragedy of Diana's death. And I get a real tangible sense now in London in particular of everybody thrilled that we've got a positive royal event to celebrate rather than one to mourn.

SEYMOUR: Absolutely. It's almost like a rebirth in a way. And it's just, I think, amazing to the Brits is how interested the rest of the world is. I mean they're kind of looking around saying, all this countries want to know about our -- you know, our royal wedding and think it's a huge thing?

MORGAN: And America in particular is going crazy.

SEYMOUR: Yes. They are.

MORGAN: I mean every other van containing a TV news crew is from America here.

SEYMOUR: One imagines there is no news going on in the world. This is the news.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: I mean in a funny way, I mean people get cynical about it. I know and they say, why you're devoting so much attention to it? I think you should occasionally do this. The whole world needs occasionally a bit of relief from all this terrible stuff we've had recently in particular.

SEYMOUR: I think, you know, the trouble with news is that usually all you get is the bad news. So this is a chance for everyone to springtime, good news, you know, real love and a real commitment and something we can all kind of vicariously live through.

MORGAN: And what do you think of William's choice of bride? What do you think of Kate Middleton?

SEYMOUR: I think Kate -- I've never met her, of course. I thinks she's very elegant. She looks like perfect material to be a royal bride. I mean she carries herself beautifully. She seems to be intelligent and at the same time she looks like she knows how to play the part.

And more important, I think she actually loves him. That's the most important part.

MORGAN: Well, the big test I thought came when they split up for a while.

SEYMOUR: Yes.

MORGAN: Because she kept her discretion. She didn't say a word to anybody. And I'm sure that for William who's a very private guy and especially with all of the relationships with his mother and the media, and he never -- for a long time he blamed the media for what happened to her.

I think the fact that she passed the discretion test I'm sure played a big factor in them getting back together. I think he thought, I've got a good one there.

SEYMOUR: I think so. And I think, you know, it takes a very special kind of person to take on that role. I mean this is going to be a full-time profession for her now. I mean apart from her relationship with him, she's got to be part of -- well, I mean under the global vision.

I mean she's going to have -- everyone is going to be staring at everything she says and does for the rest of her life.

MORGAN: I mean there's an interesting point because someone like you who's been a famous actress for a very long time, you've been exposed to the paparazzi and to media attention. Can you even begin to imagine what it's like at the level that Kate Middleton is about to face?

SEYMOUR: I can't even imagine. I mean it has to be huge, you know. Plus it's 24/7 and also the security issues, too. I mean it must be huge. It's a major undertaking. I think it takes a very special person.

MORGAN: You've been married more than once.

SEYMOUR: Yes.

MORGAN: What advice would you give to the royal couple about marriage?

SEYMOUR: Well, I think --

MORGAN: Have you cracked it? You've (INAUDIBLE) it out?

SEYMOUR: I have definitely cracked it. I have cracked. James Keach, that's it. No, I found the perfect husband. My friends have been trying to clone him actually.

(LAUGHTER)

SEYMOUR: It's always wasted on doll and (INAUDIBLE). No. I think that, you know, in my day in age, a million years ago, you couldn't -- you couldn't live together before you got married. And I think the fact that they have lived together and do know one another, and they've had time to get to know one another that way, I think it's really important. I think it's just a different world we're in right now.

MORGAN: I mean Charles and Diana, of course, a different situation. She was 19 years old. Charles was in his 30s. He had to marry somebody who've never had sex. Let's spell it out. It seems so weird now that this was the case. But that was the rule of the day. And so he had to marry somebody with no experience.

SEYMOUR: And I think we proved that those rules don't apply anymore and it just didn't work for them. So, you know, I think it's wonderful. I think that's what's so special about this wedding, is people feel it's real. And I think that's what's important.

MORGAN: You obviously live in Los Angeles now. You have a beautiful house in Malibu. I've been to. When you come back to London, what do you feel when you come back and it's all exciting like this and there's this huge event?

SEYMOUR: I get so proud. I just -- I just love England. I come back here and I just go, wow, this is, you know, really, really special. And my poor children. I kept saying, this is where I went to school. That's where I got the "Bond" film. This is that -- and we were testing. So what's that building? That's where mommy got the "Bond" film. OK. I just -- you know, going down to the pub, seeing all the people and doing this correspondences, it's been really fun because I got "ET" to go places they would never normally go. Like my old house at St. Catherine's in Bath.

We went hot air ballooning. We went down to the pub and we kept the locals waiting a bit. I think they got a little bit too much to drink. But it's been really fun just being back in the homeland. You know. I love America. I'm an American now. I live in America. My kids are American. But --

MORGAN: Your accent is still absolutely pure upper class English.

SEYMOUR: Really? I hadn't noticed.

MORGAN: Both twang.

(LAUGHTER)

SEYMOUR: No, I can do -- well, this is my normal English sound. But I'm sure you've noticed that when you're back in England and people are talking to you with proper English that you get just even a bit more proper English.

MORGAN: Well, I think I have today, was my cab driver who brought me here said which route do you want me to take? And immediately I thought I'm home. He's not saying route.

SEYMOUR: Well, you know what? My father who's actually born within the sound of (INAUDIBLE) bells, so by right, I'm a half (INAUDIBLE).

MORGAN: Are you really?

SEYMOUR: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

SEYMOUR: I can do it if I have to. I can fit right in with the back, couldn't I?

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: They are going of course.

SEYMOUR: They were of course going. As is my friend who I did -- I haven't seen her actually. She's Joanna Lumley.

MORGAN: Yes.

SEYMOUR: You know, from Ab Fab. She's going. And Elton John, of course.

MORGAN: Let's take a quick break, Jane. When we come back I want to get your predictions for the big day. Everything from the flowers to the dress to whatever you like.

SEYMOUR: OK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE WILLIAM: We met at the university, at St. Andrews. And we were friends for over a year first. And it just sort of blossomed from then on. She's got a really sense of humor which kind of helps me because I have a very dry sense of humor. So it's was good fun. We had a really good laugh and then things happened.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN: I suppose one of the best bits of a wedding is the guessing game, isn't it? What's she going to wear is the key question. You got any inkling? Any sense of where it's going? The dress?

SEYMOUR: Well, I don't think she's going to go for the huge big poofy thing that the Emanuels did for Diana. I think she's long, she's lean. I think it will be something very elegant. Tailored. It's got to be pretty big because she's got to fill Westminster Abbey. Having looked at the blue dress she's so famous for, that's sort of deep V-neckline, I'm seeing something with a V in it. Maybe some lace -- you know, lace sleeves.

MORGAN: Jewelry?

SEYMOUR: I think she will wear some of the Queen's jewelry. She'll probably have an appropriate tiara, although I'm pretty sure she wants to put flowers in her hair. If I were her --

MORGAN: And this is what I was going to ask you.

SEYMOUR: Yes, well, if I were her, I'd mix it up. Because no one's ever done that before, have they?

MORGAN: And do what?

SEYMOUR: Well, have the tiara and something floral in.

MORGAN: Really?

SEYMOUR: Just delicately. Yes. I find somewhat -- because I think she wants to be a modern bride. I think she wants to be her own bride. I think she's probably had a big say in the design of the wedding dress, too.

MORGAN: And we're hearing that Earl Spencer who made that infamous speech about royals when Diana died that he may not be speaking now, and that William now wants to say something to the congregation and therefore the world.

What do you imagine he might want to say? SEYMOUR: Gosh. Well, I'm really glad it's he that will be speaking. I think, you know, he obviously somehow has to bring his mother into the event, because she's so much there with us. I mean everyone loved Diana so much. And obviously he more than anyone. And so I think that he probably will find some way to bring her into the occasion.

MORGAN: Where were you when Diana got married?

SEYMOUR: Where was I? Gosh, I don't remember. I wasn't here. I wish I had been. I was here when Fergie got married.

MORGAN: Were you?

SEYMOUR: I was. I actually -- I got an interview. I was the only correspondent to get an interview with a royal, and it was completely by accident. "Good Morning America" were doing coverage. I happen to be in England. They wanted to fill some time so they interviewed me down in Bath where I had a home.

Then they got me to do a thing about the royal bars. Then they got me to go up to Scotland and interview the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe, and I found out Prince Phillip was competing in horse carriage driving. So he offered -- I asked him, can I interview him, and I'd met him at -- in Hollywood once with the Queen. And we talked about breakfast television.

And he said, yes. And he got all excited. And the deal was I was not allowed to talk about the royal wedding. So I said fine. So he was competing in this horse carriage driving. So I learned -- tried to learn how to do six in hand, that's horses in tiny little hands. He knew I had done that.

I watched him in the rain in my Wellington boots. And by the time I got to interview him, he realized, you know, I was not going to be tricky. And so I'm talking to him, talking to him, and he was charming and I said, you know, are these the same horses as the ones in the wedding, no, in the wedding. And he went on for half an hour about the wedding.

(LAUGHTER)

SEYMOUR: All he could talk about was the wedding. And behind him I could see the -- you know, producers, and they're going this is like -- this is like the dream come true. So then they asked me to cover, you know, live at the Abbey. And so actually I have gotten to this kind of gig before.

MORGAN: I mean Prince Phillip is -- I think a much maligned individual. He's known for his sort of gaffes and the verbal mistakes and some, but he's been an incredibly loyal consort to the king for well over 60 years now.

SEYMOUR: Yes, he has. And he's quite charming. When you say prince charming I would say he's very, very charming. And the -- yes, I mean the Queen is quite wonderful, too. I think, you know, she's of course, you know, madly in love with her corgis, as she should be, in the countryside. But I've never -- I haven't met any member of the royal family that I haven't liked.

MORGAN: I do -- and also it's such a ridiculously pressurized job when you enter that goldfish bowl. As we've seen with everyone that goes into it. Diana and Fergie. It's almost impossible. And the royals themselves have had this from the day they're born.

SEYMOUR: They do. They don't have a choice. I had a choice to become an actress. They do not have a choice as to whether or not they're going to become king and queen.

MORGAN: What do you think it means for the monarchy? There is a suggestion that this will revitalize the monarchy, that everyone is now getting excited again about the royal family.

SEYMOUR: I think that's true because talking to people around -- especially in the countryside and everywhere that I have been talking to English people, I think they are being a little bit more enthusiastic about the idea because I think they believe that William and Kate will first of all bring more tourism to this country which is good for business.

And certainly in these socio-economic times, you know, Britain could use that. And you know I think -- I think the British are pretty proud of their heritage and you know we have all of these beautiful castles and palaces that are now open to the public. So it is shared.

And I think we want to -- I think the British want to be represented in some way, in some way other than politics. And I think that's what the royal family can do.

MORGAN: Are you a monarchist? Do you believe in the monarchy?

SEYMOUR: I believe in the monarchy when it's done properly. And I think it is being done properly right now. So yes. I think that they are -- I think they're being more responsible about what they spend. I think that helps. I think, you know, people love the monarchy. I think they just don't want to think it's going to take too much money out of the public coffers.

MORGAN: And where will you be on big day?

SEYMOUR: I'll be right here, right next to you actually.

MORGAN: My rival -- my rival cabin.

SEYMOUR: I will be in your rival cabin right next door.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: I mean it will be exciting, won't it?

SEYMOUR: It's going to be so exciting. I've been here for a whole week, you know, doing all kinds of stories. They've got me running around from early in the morning every day and then I'll be there. Yes.

MORGAN: How are you feeling about me being here with Anderson Cooper, Cat Deeley and Richard Quest, the royal wedding A-team?

SEYMOUR: They are the royal --

MORGAN: You panicking?

SEYMOUR: No. I'm a -- I'm a close B-team. Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

SEYMOUR: We'll do just fine. I think we have a different group that we're talking to. "Entertainment Tonight" and you're CNN so.

MORGAN: Well, you're always entertaining.

SEYMOUR: Well, thank you very much.

MORGAN: Tonight and otherwise, Jane Seymour.

SEYMOUR: Well, I love watching you. I think you're doing a fantastic job.

MORGAN: Thank you. Thank you. It's a great day on Friday.

SEYMOUR: It is. And this is almost like our little club here, isn't it?

MORGAN: It is. It is.

SEYMOUR: It's fantastic.

MORGAN: It's a little bit of Britain.

SEYMOUR: A little bit of Britain.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: Thank you very much.

SEYMOUR: You're welcome.

MORGAN: When we come back, we'll be talking about the dress from the woman who probably knows more than most and that's Elizabeth Emanuel, who designed Diana's wedding dress.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MORGAN: And joining me now is Elizabeth Emanuel, the designer behind that unforgettable dress that Diana Spencer wore on her wedding day. Elizabeth, this must bring back so many memories for you, doesn't it?

ELIZABETH EMANUEL, DESIGNER, PRINCESS DIANA'S WEDDING DRESS: It really does. And I can't believe it was 30 years ago. I mean, just incredible. So much excitement.

MORGAN: Have you any idea who has designed this dress?

EMANUEL: Absolutely no idea. I find it miraculous really that it hasn't got out. It's quite incredible because nowadays, you know, you've got the mobile phones with the cameras and you'd think somebody would be on to it. But no, it's going to be a surprise.

MORGAN: I was talking to Jane Seymour earlier about the kind of dress she imagines Kate may go for. She's saying not the big, long taffeta number that you produced for Diana, but maybe something a little bit more streamlined. Is that the kind of feeling you're getting?

EMANUEL: Well, I'm sure it's not going to look anything like Diana's dress because that was really such an '80s kind of a look. So it's a lot more pared down now. And I think going by all the pictures I've seen of her, she wears very classic, quite plain, actually, that kind of a look. But I'm sure there'll be some fashion twists, something unexpected, you know?

MORGAN: Jane was surmising it may be a combination of tiara and flowers.

EMANUEL: Oh, really? It could be anything. You know what's so difficult is not knowing who the designer is because if we knew, we'd have some kind of idea of what kind of style that they normally do. But it's -- we just have no idea at all.

MORGAN: When you designed Diana's dress -- obviously, it was one of the world's most legendary dresses -- what kind of pressure did you feel as that designer?

EMANUEL: Well, David and I at the time, we'd just left college, really, been out about a year. And so when this all happened, it was just something so extraordinary. We were totally unprepared. We had no PR, no nothing. And suddenly, we were besieged by media, like now, actually. This is the second time around now. It was just something just that was incredible for us. It changed our lives literally.

MORGAN: Why did Diana choose you, do you think?

EMANUEL: I think she just liked us. And we liked her. We were sort of around the same age group, a little bit older. And it was all through "Vogue" magazine because they had introduced us. And just -- yes, we just got on.

MORGAN: Was Diana under -- I mean, obviously under huge pressure at the time, but did she show it to you when you were having all the fittings and stuff?

EMANUEL: No, she never seemed to be under pressure. She was always very relaxed. I was the one who was getting stressed out. David was very calm. It was just like doing any other bride, and you had to sometimes kind of think, Well, you know, this bride is going to be seen by, like, 750 million people, you know and... MORGAN: There's now 2 billion, they're estimating.

EMANUEL: Two billion. I know. That's pressure.

MORGAN: For a designer, was is -- is it the moment it gets exposed to the world? Is that the most pressurized moment for you?

EMANUEL: I think it's the whole build-up, actually. And I'm trying to think, Have I covered everything? What could possibly go wrong? Because that's what we did. We tried to think of everything that might go wrong and we wanted to make sure we were covered for it.

MORGAN: Would you have liked to have made Kate's dress, or is once in a lifetime enough for this kind of thing?

EMANUEL: Oh, I think I would have loved to have done it. But you know, I think back, and we were so lucky to have been asked by Diana to do her dress, so you know, that's enough.

MORGAN: You say your life changed. How did it change? I mean, what will happen to the designer of Kate Middleton's dress, do you think?

EMANUEL: Well, first of all, you're going to see millions of copies of the dress everywhere. And their name will be, you know, everywhere. The media will want to interview that person. And it could be such an enormous boost to their career, and fantastic for British fashion anyway.

MORGAN: Do you know how many brides got married in similar dresses to Diana's?

EMANUEL: Oh, there must be lots and lots. I mean, still to this day, people are wearing what looks like copies of Diana's dress.

MORGAN: Are you excited about the wedding?

EMANUEL: I am. I'm really excited. It's really interesting being on the outside this time and knowing about all the work that goes into making a dress like that.

MORGAN: You obviously got to know Diana well in the process of all the fittings. What would she have made of Kate Middleton, do you think?

EMANUEL: Oh, I'm sure she would have really liked her. I mean, the thing that strikes me just as an outsider is how happy they look together, how well matched, how calm, and you know, very good in front of the cameras and when she does her official things. You know, I think they make a fantastic couple.

MORGAN: What I've always wanted to know is, when you design one of these mega-dresses and the whole world is watching, is there a back-up? If it gets snagged on the way out, do you have a spare dress? EMANUEL: Well, I don't know if that happened in the past, but Dave and I decided we would have a back-up and just in case anybody worked out what it was going to look like, we made another dress, different design, and it was hanging there all ready to go. And if anybody had guessed the secret, we would have actually substituted that dress. Yes, it has to be a surprise on the day. It's so important.

MORGAN: I'm told it's under lock and key in the palace right now. That dress is about 500 yards from where we are and is there and is ready.

EMANUEL: Really?

MORGAN: And yet nobody has a clue what it is.

EMANUEL: Well, we were working right up to the last minute. In fact, we delivered it the day before to Clarence House. And in fact, the secret nearly got out then because we'd got all the way there with it, we were taken upstairs to this little room, we got the dress out of all of its packaging, put it on the rail, happened to look out the window, and all builders were on the roof there. One could have just turned around and seen the dress and the bridesmaids there, and that would be it.

MORGAN: And now with all the camera phones, it would be even more dangerous.

EMANUEL: Yes (INAUDIBLE)

MORGAN: How was Diana afterwards? What did she say to you when she got a chance to talk to you again?

EMANUEL: Well, you know, after we got back to the studio and we were feeling a little bit deflated -- it had been such an amazing day, and it was all quiet. And then the phone rang and it was Diana, and she was calling us from somewhere -- no idea where -- just to thank us. And that really made our day. It was just so sweet of her. With everything else that was going on and she actually took time to call us and say how much she loved it.

MORGAN: Did you stay in touch with her over the years?

EMANUEL: Well, we did, but then, you know, Dave and I split and we didn't have the business anymore. But we continue to dress her until the end of the '80s.

MORGAN: Obviously, the very sad occasion was Diana's funeral. It was the last big royal event really that we saw here. In a funny way, it's put it in a nice full circle now that it's her son who's now getting married, and we can celebrate a royal event again, isn't it.

EMANUEL: I think it's great. And there has been such horrible news, you know, lately and everything's been all gray and dull and horrible, and now there's this. And you can just see a visible change in everybody's faces, and you know, it's something exciting to look forward to. And everybody adores Prince William and now Kate, as well. So I think it's going to be a wonderful day.

MORGAN: And what advice would you give Kate on the day for how to wear the dress, how to walk, what to do? I mean, you must have had that kind of discussion with Diana.

EMANUEL: Well, she will have had rehearsals, so she'll be feeling, you know, very, you know, OK with the dress, or if it's got a train, she'll know how to handle it. So really not to worry and just to enjoy the day and to be relaxed and to trust her designers, you know, that it's not going to fall apart. I mean, on the day with Diana, we took so many precautions, like pinning her into the dress, sewing her in.

(CROSSTALK)

EMANUEL: Oh, yes, because I had this nightmare that maybe the train might drop off as she was walking up the aisle. It was terrible. I couldn't sleep. So we sewed her in and you know -- but...

MORGAN: Could you sleep the night before?

EMANUEL: No. It was just -- it was -- you know, I think after we finished, it suddenly all sunk in how huge this was, that it was going to be part of history, no second chances. It had to be right. And we -- you know, it's a lot to put on young designers as we were at the time.

MORGAN: Did anything go wrong on the day?

EMANUEL: Nothing went wrong. I mean, the only thing -- it wasn't wrong, but looking back, you know, the dress definitely got a bit more creased than we thought, even though (INAUDIBLE) we expected some creases. And so when she did enter the -- St. Paul's, my heart kind of did an extra few beats there. But we knew it would straighten out.

And finally, looking back now, those pictures of her getting out of the coach, like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, are my favorite pictures.

MORGAN: It was amazing.

EMANUEL: It did look good. And as she walked up the steps, the train was still in the carriage. In fact, she was almost at the top, and then the train came out of the carriage and the wind caught it, and it was just very, very dramatic. And I'll always remember that.

MORGAN: For the lucky designer, obviously, commercially, it's going to have huge benefit. I mean, can you put a figure on what this might be worth to a designer in the modern day now?

EMANUEL: Oh, I would imagine, you know, if it's all handled properly, a lot of money. And you know, they deserve it. This is great. This is...

MORGAN: Millions, tens of millions? I mean...

EMANUEL: I mean, it could be millions. Who knows what it could be. This is such a different time to when David and I did the dress. At that time, it was frowned upon to do anything which could be called, you know, cashing in or anything like that. But whoever's designing the dress, you know, they're trained designers. That's what they do. And why shouldn't they benefit from the exposure that they're getting?

MORGAN: And if you were a betting woman -- are you a betting woman?

EMANUEL: No.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: Let's pretend you are for a moment.

EMANUEL: All right.

MORGAN: If you were, given all the speculation about all the designers -- you know all these people -- who would you have your money on?

EMANUEL: Well, everybody says it's Sarah Burton (ph). I have no idea. You know, a lot of people have sort of phoned up and said, you know, Oh, she's wearing Diana's dress, which is the most ridiculous thing, or perhaps it could be somebody in her family and she's wearing, you know, like, a relation's dress and (INAUDIBLE) You just don't know. It could be anything. I mean, I would say Sarah Burton or I would love it to have been Bruce Alsace (ph), but I don't think it is. It's just hard to tell, really.

MORGAN: Exciting, though, not knowing, isn't it.

EMANUEL: It is! It's got to be a surprise at the end of the day.

MORGAN: I love the idea of that carriage door opening and that's when we find out.

EMANUEL: Yes, I think it's different. I think she's coming out of a car this time, but then she's leaving in a carriage when she'll be a princess.

MORGAN: That's right, arriving in the car, leaving in the carriage.

EMANUEL: It's very dramatic. I mean, it's the drama of an occasion like this that just captures everybody. You know, they just love it.

MORGAN: Well, I remember the drama when your dress appeared. And it certainly wasn't disappointing, Elizabeth. So I hope that on Friday, we get the same thrill we had them.

EMANUEL: I'm sure.

MORGAN: Thank you very much. Thank you.

EMANUEL: Thank you.

MORGAN: We'll be right back with a woman who spent time inside the royal household of William's parents, the personal chef to Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "AC 360": Good evening. On "360" tonight, "Keeping Them Honest" on the birther issue. "360" went to Hawaii to chase down the facts. We interviewed a state government official, a Republican no less, who's seen Barack Obama's original birth certificate. We debunk birther conspiracy theories about this newspaper announcement. We spoke with people who've known Obama since the day he was born, who even remember seeing Obama's mom pregnant. The first of our two-part investigation tonight only on "360."

Also tonight, Donald Trump. We're going to talk to him, press him on the facts of our investigation and ask him about his own, his answers. And this bombshell. Donald Trump now doubts President Obama's original birth certificate is even there. He says it's missing or doesn't even exist. Those stories, plus a report from inside Misrata in Libya, the latest attacks by the Gadhafi regime. It is getting much worse there. It's all at the top of the hour, along with the royal wedding coverage, including our own Isha Sesay live in London. More Piers Morgan in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE WILLIAM: Well, obviously, we have a great (ph) fun time together. (INAUDIBLE) a very good sense of humor about things. We (INAUDIBLE) and she's got (INAUDIBLE) habits that make me laugh but (INAUDIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN: Carolyn Robb is of Britain's leading organic chefs and served as personal chef to Prince Charles and Princess Diana. And she joins me now. Carolyn, thank you for joining me.

CAROLYN ROBB, CHEF TO ROYAL FAMILY, 1989-2000: Thank you.

MORGAN: You were personal chef to all these royals for more than 10 years.

ROBB: That's right. I was. Yes.

MORGAN: What was it like?

ROBB: It was absolutely fantastic. As a young chef of 22, I think it would be any chef's dream job. MORGAN: And were they all sort of a bit weird when it came to their food or...

ROBB: No, surprisingly not.

MORGAN: ... were they resolutely normal?

ROBB: Absolutely normal. Yes. Boys had a very healthy diet, had all the usual likes and dislikes of two little boys.

MORGAN: Prince William -- what did he like and didn't like as a boy?

ROBB: Oh, traditional favorites, roast chicken, crispy roast potatoes, sausages and mash, and all the traditional English puddings.

MORGAN: I heard he had a very sweet tooth, William.

ROBB: Yes.

MORGAN: (INAUDIBLE) biscuits.

(LAUGHTER)

ROBB: That's right.

MORGAN: Any particular ones? Dark chocolate? Milk chocolate?

ROBB: I think probably the milk chocolate ones he enjoyed. Yes. (INAUDIBLE) he enjoyed. We used to make fantastic chocolate biscuit cake, which everybody heard a lot about in the last few weeks.

MORGAN: Very famous.

ROBB: It is now.

MORGAN: Do you stay in touch with the royal family?

ROBB: No, not really. No. It's a while since I left, and they have such busy lives and so many people in their lives. But I follow them closely.

MORGAN: Yes, in terms of their diet and stuff, there are lots of wonderful stories over the years about -- that every one has to be tasted, their meals, before they get to the royals. Is that true?

ROBB: No. No.

MORGAN: So they just eat it plain.

ROBB: Yes, and particularly when we were at home, it was a small setup anyway, so...

MORGAN: And what would you expect the wedding menu to comprise? When they all come back down the palace here, what would you -- knowing what you've prepared for them over the years, what do you think they'll go for?

MORGAN: I think it's going to be contemporary British food. I think it'll be quite simple, quite fresh, beautifully presented. And I think they'll pay a lot of attention to the provenance of the food, so they'll want locally produced, locally sourced, possibly organic.

MORGAN: Prince Charles is pretty hot on all this organic stuff, isn't he.

ROBB: Very much so.

MORGAN: Do you think he'll be cracking the whip with his son, saying, Right, it's got to be healthy organic food?

ROBB: I'm sure William follows in his footsteps, and I'm sure he's very keen on that. Supporting the local growers and suppliers is important to them.

MORGAN: Can William cook? Is there any evidence he can cook?

ROBB: When he was younger, when he was a little boy, he enjoyed it. And when he was at Eaton College, he had access to a kitchen there and used to come home at the weekends and, Can you teach me to cook this and cook that?

MORGAN: And did you?

ROBB: Yes.

MORGAN: What did you teach him?

ROBB: Oh, some chicken dishes and a couple of sweet things, as well, I think. He was very good. He used to enjoy presenting things nicely on the plate. He seemed to really enjoy it. I think he's a natural, had he not been busy doing other things.

MORGAN: Do you imagine he's cooking meals for his bride-to-be? Is he that kind of guy?

ROBB: Possibly. Yes. I know in the interview when they were engaged, there was a little bit of chat about food and what he cooked and -- yes. I think he's...

MORGAN: I'm told you gave him the secret to a good chicken Kiev. Is that true?

ROBB: That's one of the things he enjoys.

MORGAN: Is that his, like, royal signature dish?

ROBB: It could be. That was a few years ago now. So I'm sure there are many others, as well.

MORGAN: What was it -- when you were working for the royal family, is it a strange experience compared to a normal job, I mean, or would you get very quickly used to it? ROBB: I think it is. When you're there, what is the normal world becomes the outside world, which seems like a strange thing to say. But yes, it's a little environment all of its own. It's like a machine that's working all on its own. There are so many deadlines to be met and different places to go and things to do. It's incredible. It was the most fantastic 10 years of my life.

MORGAN: Was it a normal upbringing that you observed with the kids, or just by definition of being young royals, is it all, again, a little strange, abnormal? Can they be normal, the royals?

ROBB: I think they were as normal as it was possible for them to be. Certainly, Princess Diana was fantastic in that she would take them out and do very normal things with them, going to little local fanfares in the village and things like that. But I wouldn't say it was an easy life for them at all. But they're just fantastic, fantastic boys.

MORGAN: Did you feel huge pressure when you prepared food?

ROBB: Initially, I did.

MORGAN: Even for your first meal.

ROBB: Yes, I do. I remember that very well. Yes, I was terrified.

MORGAN: What was it?

ROBB: The details of it -- it was all such a terrifying experience, I can't remember the details.

MORGAN: But you remember the moment, the...

ROBB: Yes, I do. Going down and...

MORGAN: I can't imagine the pressure of that.

ROBB: Yes, waiting for the butler to come back out of the ding room when he carried all the plates, rushing through to see what was left on the plates.

MORGAN: Had it all been eaten?

ROBB: It had.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: You said that Diana there was a good mum. You obviously got to know her pretty well over the years. What kind of lady was she?

ROBB: She was absolutely incredible. The minute you were in her presence, you felt at ease. And I think that was one of her greatest gifts. I remember when I went to Kensington Palace to be interviewed by her, and obviously I was absolutely terrified. And this was a job that I was desperate to do. And the minute I met her, suddenly everything seemed very relaxed. And I remember her saying to me, Well, I'm sure you must have a lot of questions you want to ask me. And that's how the interview began.

MORGAN: What did you ask her?

ROBB: She was wonderful. We talked a lot about the boys and the food they liked. It was one of the things I enjoyed doing the most, was cooking for the boys.

MORGAN: Did you ever cook at the palace?

ROBB: Yes, on a few occasions. The Prince of Wales had some huge charitable events, so we did some events in conjunction with both the palace chefs and Anton Masseman (ph), who I believe will be involved on Friday.

MORGAN: It's a huge building, Buckingham Palace.

ROBB: It's enormous.

MORGAN: I'm trying to explain to Americans. That's twice the size of the White House at least. I've seen both at close quarters.

ROBB: Yes.

MORGAN: And it's a massive place...

ROBB: Oh, it's huge.

MORGAN: ... with hundreds of rooms.

ROBB: Yes. It's absolutely incredible.

MORGAN: Is it intimidating to be in there and have to prepare meals?

ROBB: It was, yes, because our environment was very homely and quite intimate, the kitchens we had at Kensington Palace and Highgrove. And even the other houses, Sandringham or Balmoral, weren't quite as large as this. But it's a wonderful atmosphere, and certainly in the kitchens at Buckingham Palace, I can just imagine what it's going to be like on Friday, great camaraderie. And they'll all be so excited about doing this incredible event.

MORGAN: And where will you be? What are you doing on Friday?

ROBB: I'll be at home with my family. I remember watching the prince and princess's wedding. I lived in South Africa then. I was a school girl. And that was very exciting. And yes, I'll be at home with my parents and my baby daughter. And I'm trying to think now what I should cook for lunch for my mother...

(LAUGHTER)

ROBB: ... a suitable royal wedding lunch. MORGAN: Well, you're launching a new Carolyn Robb The Royal Touch brand. What is The Royal Touch?

ROBB: Well, I'm working on a book at the moment, which is a food memoir, which is really my journey through the years and my food experiences growing up in South Africa. I worked in Switzerland for a bit. I then had this fantastic royal interlude in the middle, worked in the Middle East for a couple of years. And then I had some time in California. Now I'm back in the countryside in Oxfordshire with a young daughter. And it's just seeing the world of food through my eyes. And I'm very excited about that.

MORGAN: (INAUDIBLE) When Kate cooks her first meal as William's wife...

ROBB: Yes.

MORGAN: ... knowing all that you know about his food and diet habits and likes and dislikes, what would you recommend she cooks him? First course, main course, pudding.

ROBB: I would just keep it very simple. It's summer at the moment, so beautiful -- or spring, rather. I'd say a salad to start with, or perhaps something Italian, a risotto. Main course, spring lamb. You can't do better than spring lamb. Spring vegetables like asparagus...

MORGAN: Does he like his lamb? Like his lamb, William did?

ROBB: Yes. We certainly did a lot of that when they were growing up. There was wonderful homegrown lamb.

MORGAN: And maybe a nice little plate of vity (ph) biscuits to finish things off.

ROBB: Possibly.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: I know they're not very healthy.

ROBB: Strawberries and cream. You can't do better than that.

MORGAN: (INAUDIBLE) give him a treat. British strawberries and cream.

ROBB: Strawberries and cream. Yes. You can't do better than that, I think. And you can't really go wrong with that, can you?

MORGAN: No, exactly. And presumably, if she wants to, she can call you for some advice, can she, Kate?

ROBB: Anytime.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: Carolyn Robb, thank you very much.

ROBB: Thank you, Piers.

MORGAN: And when we come back, what rest of the wedding week will bring here in London.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MORGAN: We've got a blockbuster week lined up on PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT in London. Tomorrow night, Frost/Morgan. I'm going to talk with one of my personal idols, the legendary broadcaster Sir David Frost. Not only has he interviewed Prince Charles, Princess Diana was the godmother to his youngest child. And he'll share his view of the next generation of the royal family tomorrow night.

That's all from London tonight. But be sure to join us all week from London. Now here's "AC 360."