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The Controversial and Revolutionary Legacy of Pope John Paul II; Jack Nicklaus Looking for Win Seven at Masters; The Rocky Road to Royal Nuptials for Charles and Camilla

Aired April 08, 2005 - 13:30   ET

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

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


VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN ANCHOR, LIVE FROM: He forged a legacy as one of the Catholic Church's most influential and controversial leaders. We remember the life of Pope John Paul II at cnn.com/pope.
He revolutionized the papacy that oversaw the spiritual lives of one billion Catholics. Many popes before him confined themselves to the Vatican, but John Paul was one of the most traveled popes in history and very much a man of the world. He was a key figure at a pivotal juncture in world history. As a cardinal in Poland he was a shrewd opponent of communism. He brought a strong focus to human rights and individual liberties.

At cnn.com/pope we look ahead to what's next for the Roman Catholic Church. Read more about potential successors and find out requirements for the papacy. We've been asking users around the world to share their thoughts on the passing of the pope. You can read their comments or share your own by logging on.

As the world mourns the passing of this influential pontiff. A tribute to his life and legacy at cnn.com/pope.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR, LIVE FROM: Well, for the first time in more than a week, St. Peter's Square is mostly empty. Say, for the cleanup crews and for those hoping the Vatican changes its mind about closing the basilica through the weekend.

A sudden rain is also discouraging stragglers. But not our Alessio Vinci, he joins me from the Collegial (ph) over looking the St. Peter's Square with an update. Alessio, most of our shots came from St. Peter's square, the heart of it. But you actually got the opportunity to experience this event away from the main shot, but with hundreds, thousands of pilgrims who are experiencing this as a distance. What was that like?

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct, Carol. Not that far away, we were about less than half a mile away from St. Peter's square with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who couldn't make their way all the way down here to St. Peter's square and (UNINTELLIGIBLE), which leads up to that street.

And nevertheless throughout mass, you could really feel how most of these people really participated in the mass. You could feel them kneeling. You could feel them praying. Some of them were watching the proceedings in St. Peter's Square on a large television screen. But I could also see a lot of people who simply were there listening and smelling the air of sadness on the one side.

And also of celebration, of course. This was not just a mass to mourn John Paul II. It was also a mass to celebrate his 26 years as pope. And therefore most of the people who were by the way, mainly Polish people, we estimated about a million people alone from Poland came to Rome. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this city has 3 million people. In the last few hours you know, one in four here in Rome here today was a pole.

LIN: That's remarkable, because when I take a look at some of the crowd shots we've been showing Alessio. Pretty impressive. But I was always curious about the detail on the ground. What was happening there? Were there spiritual moments? Marriage proposals? Reunifications, sorrows in hearts that were healed. What did you see?

VINCI: We met many people, and we have so many different little personal stories. Story from a couple from Holland they were in their 60s. They never took a plane in their life before. And earlier this week, they decided it was time to just try it out. Take a plane. Come to Rome and participate in the wedding.

And so they decided for the first time in their life to beat their fear if you want, or to challenge the fear for that matter and come to Rome. So they came and they were very happy. But again, they weren't able to get anywhere near St. Peter's Square.

Then we also saw a Mexican priest offering confessions there in the street throughout the mass, that was a way for him to participate in the mass without being able to see anything that was happening in St. Peter's Square.

So it was really remarkable, the sense of participation. Nowhere else, and no other words to describe what was really happening down there, away from the main center from St. Peter's Square.

LIN: What do you think it was like for, if you will, the main players, at this -- at the funeral, the people, the pallbearers, those conducting the services. Do you think -- you know, there's so much process and planning that goes into something like this. What must it be like for them to partake?

VINCI: I think that it was a mixed emotions on the one side. These are people who for the last 26 years have served the same man, the same boss. This is like it is obvious that beside obviously the devotion they have towards John Paul II, there was also oppression of affection if you want. This was a man who most of them, was the only boss they've known for the last quarter of a century.

So certainly there was an amount of sadness. But also devotion, and these people are obviously professionals and they are trained, including the Swiss guards for example, to serve the pope in life, and, of course, during his death. And I think that one thing actually speaking of the main players, Carol, I was actually quite surprised about, throughout the choreography if you want, of the main television pictures. How little the cameras actually stopped on the real being of the world. The president, the prime minister, the kings and queens of the world. The man, the showman was the pope himself. We haven't seen a handshake between the main players. The attention was on the pope. On a dead man, when you had the top world leaders in the square.

We really had a small glimpse of them. But obviously, the main player was the pope. And I think that was really quite remarkable today in St. Peter's Square.

LIN: Yes. And the last image we have of him in a simple, but beautiful -- but a simple wooden coffin. Something, you know, talk about a juxtaposition of the power players in the world, and the man who wanted to leave this earth in such a way, to show his devotion. His simple devotion to God.

Alessio, thank you very much. Please be sure to tune in for our prime-time coverage of the funeral of Pope John Paul II. We are going to replay the entire ceremony beginning at 7:00 Eastern. Anderson Cooper kicks off our coverage. Paula Zahn, and Larry King and Aaron Brown also are joining the lineup.

In the meantime, we've been covering many other stories here at the world headquarters. We're going to change gears just a little bit when we come back. We do have more bad news for drivers at the gas pump.

And then a day of on-again/off-again play at the Masters. A live report from Augusta when we come back

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR, LIVE FROM: A lot going on today. Let's take a look at now at news across America. Michael Jackson, back in court in California. A day after the mostly graphic description and testimony to date. A former Neverland employee told jurors he watched Michael Jackson perform a sex act on a ten-year-old boy! Another prosecution witness gave similar accounts, and is back on the stand today. The defense paints both witnesses as revenge seekers.

Was Jessica Lunsford alive during the first days of the search for her? Newly released court papers indicate she may have been. Detectives twice visited the mobile home in which Jessica's accused killer was staying. John Couey has reportedly told police he was hiding in that home, and that nobody else knew he had abducted the girl. Couey has pleaded not guilty in the case.

And speculation swirling in Texas today over what drove a man to allegedly shoot and critically wound his son's high school football coach. Jeffrey Robertson was arraigned on aggravated assault charges today. One day after police say he fired a 45-caliber handgun into the coach's chest, and then nearly killed himself. The coach remains in critical condition.

Do you think gas prices have you over a barrel? You ain't seen nothing yet folks. The Energy Information Administration predicts the average price of one gallon will hit the high-water mark in May, $2.35 and that's the average.

People in the Western U.S. are often forking over an additional 18 to 25 cents more per gallon. In fact prices rose overnight by a penny, and according to AAA to an average $2.26 a gallon. Among the cost increase culprits, the high price of crude and limited refinery capacity. What does that mean? I'll explain it with our business news, and drivers will likely continue to feel the pressure at the pump, as analysts predict no letup in rising oil prices.

Kathleen Hays live at New York Stock Exchange with more on that.

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Day two of play at Augusta National. Carol and I wish we were there. Day two of dreadful golfing weather also. Wouldn't be the Masters though, without it. It's pretty normal I guess this time of year. Straight to Augusta, Georgia, where Patrick Snell is on the Master's beat today.

Patrick, a lot of highs, lows and legends I guess we should say. Jack Nicklaus still has an amazing following every time he comes down the first hole and continues on?

PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra. Welcome back to Augusta. The rain has struck, and play has been suspended at 12:40 local time. But yes you are absolutely right. The golden bear, Jack Nicklaus, a six-time Masters champion, and many, many thousands of people on the course through the first day, Thursday, and today, as well to see him complete his first round.

He shot a 77. That's five over par, and many people, among his fellow pros as well, hoping very much he can make the cut. One of the reasons obviously in the buildup (UNINTELLIGIBLE) , the tragic death of Nicklaus's 17-month-old grandson Jake earlier this year at the family home near Orlando in Florida.

And he was undecided whether he was going to play again this year. He says it was his family that really did encourage him to play, in particular, his son Steve. And that's why he's playing. And of course, people just hoping that Nicklaus can make the cut, a true golfing legend, and many people hoping he'll be around over the weekend. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: He'll continue to make his grandson proud, that is for sure. A tough day for Billy Casper. Now what's admirable, he's 73 years old. He's still out there playing. He's got a great swing, but had a tough time on the one hole, five strokes in the drink, shooting 106?

SNELL: You know, I can relate to that.

PHILLIPS: Can't we all! SNELL: I probably could show him how it's done. But yes, 73, old Billy Casper, yesterday, not enduring the best of days. Although, he was very happy afterwards believe it or not. He said he wanted to play just one more time. He's a past champion remember. He won it in 1970. He had all his grandchildren here.

And he said he wanted to play this famous course one more time. He probably does regret the way he played hole 14. He ended up -- hole 16, sorry. He took a 14 on the hole, which is -- I won't say how many, but it's many, many over par. He put the ball in the water no less than five times. And afterwards he joked.

And in some ways it's a shame he didn't take a 16 on hole 16. But for the record, this isn't, this isn't a record worse score of 106 at the Masters simply because he didn't hand in his card, that meant he got disqualified. So this score not on the records happily for Mr. Casper.

PHILLIPS: What is the worst score? Do you know? Ever in the history of the Masters? What is the worst score in the history of the Masters, do you know?

SNELL: Obviously over 106. That I can confirm. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 106.

PHILLIPS: I'm sure that person lost their scorecard also and forgot to sign it. OK. Finally talking about the players, good and bad, Tiger Woods having a hard time.

SNELL: This is a pretty much become the norm really for the world number two when it comes to majors. This is his 11th major now, if he doesn't win it, he will have gone 11 majors without winning. That is for him pretty much unthinkable, despite public prophestations (ph) that his game is on the way back. He has been restructuring his swing. It is pretty clear to see, this is not the player that once dominated the game, and what's particularly worrying for him, all his fellow pros know it.

PHILLIPS: Being in the sand trap is tough, but a wet sand trap is even worse. Patrick Snell, we'll continue to check in with you, thanks so much.

Is your weekend going to be soggy? What do you think? We're going to a weather update straight ahead.

And also Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles make it official tomorrow. We'll look at the history their relationship. I know Carol Lin is going to be talking about all that special coverage tomorrow.

LIN: All you royal watchers!

PHILLIPS: Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WEATHER

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Something just a little uptight about that music. Tomorrow is certainly a big day for Britain's royalty. Our accents need a little work, I think. We're told that fewer than 30 million people will attend Charles and Camilla's civil marriage ceremony.

LIN: Except his mom and dad. But when they do tie the know, Charles and Camilla make official a long and bumpy love affair. All before the critical eye of the British public. So CNN's Paula Hancock's brings it all to us right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Their eyes first met across a crowded polo field. It was 1970. Soon afterwards, Camilla teased Charles that an ancestor of hers had been the mistress of a previous Prince of Whales and then asked how about it?

SALLY CARTWRIGHT, HELLO MAGAZINE: She wasn't considered a suitable bride for Charles at that time. She had some kind of history. She'd had lovers. She wasn't a virgin. And at that stage, we were still thinking in a kind of 50s way that any royal bride to be a guaranteed certified virgin coming pure.

HANCOCKS: The relationship cooled when Charles joined the royal navy a year later. And in 1973 Camilla married her long-standing admirer, army officer, Andrew Parker Bowles. But the Charles/Camilla friendship remained strong.

CHARLES MOSLEY, DEBRETTS: I heard stories that he was almost engineered into proposing to Diana by Camilla. And that he proposed to Diana in Camilla's vegetable garden. I haven't seen them deny it. I have to say that.

HANCOCKS: The fairy tale wedding between Charles and Diana in 1981 made the Charles/Camilla romance look like ancient history. Only later did it emerge that as he was walking down the aisle, he was wearing cuff links with intertwined cuff links with intertwined letter Cs for Charles and Camilla.

The closeness of the relationship emerged in the 1990s. Illicit recordings of some rather amorous discussions between Charles and a woman widely assumed to be Camilla came to light in 1992, the same year Charles and Diana separated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is announced from Buckingham Palace with regret the Prince and Princess of Whales have decided to separate.

HANCOCKS: In 1994 Charles came clean with the country finally admitting there was another woman in his life. As Diana said in a television interview, there were three of us in that marriage. Camilla and Charles were both divorced by 1996, but still kept their relationship behind closed doors for fear of a public backlash. The death of Diana in a Paris car crash led to an outpouring of national grief in Britain. Camilla and Charles left it a year-and-a- half before they made their first public appearance together. Since then Camilla's public profile has been carefully cultivated in a not altogether successful attempt to ingratiate her with the public who loved Diana.

The engagement was finally announced on February 10th of this year. A very long road from the polo fields to the altar.

Paula Hancock's, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: All right, Kyra and I are going to do the next hour of LIVE FROM with accents.

PHILLIPS: And if you are a die-hard royal watcher, you are in luck with CNN. Live coverage of the nuptials and all the royal pomp that goes along, 6:00 a.m. Eastern, 3:00 a.m. Pacific. The royal wedding, live on CNN.

LIN: And stick around, also for more Charles and Camilla watching.

PHILLIPS: In our next hour, we'll talk to a royal watcher, Charles Mosley. LIVE FROM's hour of royal power begins right after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired April 8, 2005 - 13:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN ANCHOR, LIVE FROM: He forged a legacy as one of the Catholic Church's most influential and controversial leaders. We remember the life of Pope John Paul II at cnn.com/pope.
He revolutionized the papacy that oversaw the spiritual lives of one billion Catholics. Many popes before him confined themselves to the Vatican, but John Paul was one of the most traveled popes in history and very much a man of the world. He was a key figure at a pivotal juncture in world history. As a cardinal in Poland he was a shrewd opponent of communism. He brought a strong focus to human rights and individual liberties.

At cnn.com/pope we look ahead to what's next for the Roman Catholic Church. Read more about potential successors and find out requirements for the papacy. We've been asking users around the world to share their thoughts on the passing of the pope. You can read their comments or share your own by logging on.

As the world mourns the passing of this influential pontiff. A tribute to his life and legacy at cnn.com/pope.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR, LIVE FROM: Well, for the first time in more than a week, St. Peter's Square is mostly empty. Say, for the cleanup crews and for those hoping the Vatican changes its mind about closing the basilica through the weekend.

A sudden rain is also discouraging stragglers. But not our Alessio Vinci, he joins me from the Collegial (ph) over looking the St. Peter's Square with an update. Alessio, most of our shots came from St. Peter's square, the heart of it. But you actually got the opportunity to experience this event away from the main shot, but with hundreds, thousands of pilgrims who are experiencing this as a distance. What was that like?

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct, Carol. Not that far away, we were about less than half a mile away from St. Peter's square with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who couldn't make their way all the way down here to St. Peter's square and (UNINTELLIGIBLE), which leads up to that street.

And nevertheless throughout mass, you could really feel how most of these people really participated in the mass. You could feel them kneeling. You could feel them praying. Some of them were watching the proceedings in St. Peter's Square on a large television screen. But I could also see a lot of people who simply were there listening and smelling the air of sadness on the one side.

And also of celebration, of course. This was not just a mass to mourn John Paul II. It was also a mass to celebrate his 26 years as pope. And therefore most of the people who were by the way, mainly Polish people, we estimated about a million people alone from Poland came to Rome. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this city has 3 million people. In the last few hours you know, one in four here in Rome here today was a pole.

LIN: That's remarkable, because when I take a look at some of the crowd shots we've been showing Alessio. Pretty impressive. But I was always curious about the detail on the ground. What was happening there? Were there spiritual moments? Marriage proposals? Reunifications, sorrows in hearts that were healed. What did you see?

VINCI: We met many people, and we have so many different little personal stories. Story from a couple from Holland they were in their 60s. They never took a plane in their life before. And earlier this week, they decided it was time to just try it out. Take a plane. Come to Rome and participate in the wedding.

And so they decided for the first time in their life to beat their fear if you want, or to challenge the fear for that matter and come to Rome. So they came and they were very happy. But again, they weren't able to get anywhere near St. Peter's Square.

Then we also saw a Mexican priest offering confessions there in the street throughout the mass, that was a way for him to participate in the mass without being able to see anything that was happening in St. Peter's Square.

So it was really remarkable, the sense of participation. Nowhere else, and no other words to describe what was really happening down there, away from the main center from St. Peter's Square.

LIN: What do you think it was like for, if you will, the main players, at this -- at the funeral, the people, the pallbearers, those conducting the services. Do you think -- you know, there's so much process and planning that goes into something like this. What must it be like for them to partake?

VINCI: I think that it was a mixed emotions on the one side. These are people who for the last 26 years have served the same man, the same boss. This is like it is obvious that beside obviously the devotion they have towards John Paul II, there was also oppression of affection if you want. This was a man who most of them, was the only boss they've known for the last quarter of a century.

So certainly there was an amount of sadness. But also devotion, and these people are obviously professionals and they are trained, including the Swiss guards for example, to serve the pope in life, and, of course, during his death. And I think that one thing actually speaking of the main players, Carol, I was actually quite surprised about, throughout the choreography if you want, of the main television pictures. How little the cameras actually stopped on the real being of the world. The president, the prime minister, the kings and queens of the world. The man, the showman was the pope himself. We haven't seen a handshake between the main players. The attention was on the pope. On a dead man, when you had the top world leaders in the square.

We really had a small glimpse of them. But obviously, the main player was the pope. And I think that was really quite remarkable today in St. Peter's Square.

LIN: Yes. And the last image we have of him in a simple, but beautiful -- but a simple wooden coffin. Something, you know, talk about a juxtaposition of the power players in the world, and the man who wanted to leave this earth in such a way, to show his devotion. His simple devotion to God.

Alessio, thank you very much. Please be sure to tune in for our prime-time coverage of the funeral of Pope John Paul II. We are going to replay the entire ceremony beginning at 7:00 Eastern. Anderson Cooper kicks off our coverage. Paula Zahn, and Larry King and Aaron Brown also are joining the lineup.

In the meantime, we've been covering many other stories here at the world headquarters. We're going to change gears just a little bit when we come back. We do have more bad news for drivers at the gas pump.

And then a day of on-again/off-again play at the Masters. A live report from Augusta when we come back

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR, LIVE FROM: A lot going on today. Let's take a look at now at news across America. Michael Jackson, back in court in California. A day after the mostly graphic description and testimony to date. A former Neverland employee told jurors he watched Michael Jackson perform a sex act on a ten-year-old boy! Another prosecution witness gave similar accounts, and is back on the stand today. The defense paints both witnesses as revenge seekers.

Was Jessica Lunsford alive during the first days of the search for her? Newly released court papers indicate she may have been. Detectives twice visited the mobile home in which Jessica's accused killer was staying. John Couey has reportedly told police he was hiding in that home, and that nobody else knew he had abducted the girl. Couey has pleaded not guilty in the case.

And speculation swirling in Texas today over what drove a man to allegedly shoot and critically wound his son's high school football coach. Jeffrey Robertson was arraigned on aggravated assault charges today. One day after police say he fired a 45-caliber handgun into the coach's chest, and then nearly killed himself. The coach remains in critical condition.

Do you think gas prices have you over a barrel? You ain't seen nothing yet folks. The Energy Information Administration predicts the average price of one gallon will hit the high-water mark in May, $2.35 and that's the average.

People in the Western U.S. are often forking over an additional 18 to 25 cents more per gallon. In fact prices rose overnight by a penny, and according to AAA to an average $2.26 a gallon. Among the cost increase culprits, the high price of crude and limited refinery capacity. What does that mean? I'll explain it with our business news, and drivers will likely continue to feel the pressure at the pump, as analysts predict no letup in rising oil prices.

Kathleen Hays live at New York Stock Exchange with more on that.

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Day two of play at Augusta National. Carol and I wish we were there. Day two of dreadful golfing weather also. Wouldn't be the Masters though, without it. It's pretty normal I guess this time of year. Straight to Augusta, Georgia, where Patrick Snell is on the Master's beat today.

Patrick, a lot of highs, lows and legends I guess we should say. Jack Nicklaus still has an amazing following every time he comes down the first hole and continues on?

PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra. Welcome back to Augusta. The rain has struck, and play has been suspended at 12:40 local time. But yes you are absolutely right. The golden bear, Jack Nicklaus, a six-time Masters champion, and many, many thousands of people on the course through the first day, Thursday, and today, as well to see him complete his first round.

He shot a 77. That's five over par, and many people, among his fellow pros as well, hoping very much he can make the cut. One of the reasons obviously in the buildup (UNINTELLIGIBLE) , the tragic death of Nicklaus's 17-month-old grandson Jake earlier this year at the family home near Orlando in Florida.

And he was undecided whether he was going to play again this year. He says it was his family that really did encourage him to play, in particular, his son Steve. And that's why he's playing. And of course, people just hoping that Nicklaus can make the cut, a true golfing legend, and many people hoping he'll be around over the weekend. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: He'll continue to make his grandson proud, that is for sure. A tough day for Billy Casper. Now what's admirable, he's 73 years old. He's still out there playing. He's got a great swing, but had a tough time on the one hole, five strokes in the drink, shooting 106?

SNELL: You know, I can relate to that.

PHILLIPS: Can't we all! SNELL: I probably could show him how it's done. But yes, 73, old Billy Casper, yesterday, not enduring the best of days. Although, he was very happy afterwards believe it or not. He said he wanted to play just one more time. He's a past champion remember. He won it in 1970. He had all his grandchildren here.

And he said he wanted to play this famous course one more time. He probably does regret the way he played hole 14. He ended up -- hole 16, sorry. He took a 14 on the hole, which is -- I won't say how many, but it's many, many over par. He put the ball in the water no less than five times. And afterwards he joked.

And in some ways it's a shame he didn't take a 16 on hole 16. But for the record, this isn't, this isn't a record worse score of 106 at the Masters simply because he didn't hand in his card, that meant he got disqualified. So this score not on the records happily for Mr. Casper.

PHILLIPS: What is the worst score? Do you know? Ever in the history of the Masters? What is the worst score in the history of the Masters, do you know?

SNELL: Obviously over 106. That I can confirm. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 106.

PHILLIPS: I'm sure that person lost their scorecard also and forgot to sign it. OK. Finally talking about the players, good and bad, Tiger Woods having a hard time.

SNELL: This is a pretty much become the norm really for the world number two when it comes to majors. This is his 11th major now, if he doesn't win it, he will have gone 11 majors without winning. That is for him pretty much unthinkable, despite public prophestations (ph) that his game is on the way back. He has been restructuring his swing. It is pretty clear to see, this is not the player that once dominated the game, and what's particularly worrying for him, all his fellow pros know it.

PHILLIPS: Being in the sand trap is tough, but a wet sand trap is even worse. Patrick Snell, we'll continue to check in with you, thanks so much.

Is your weekend going to be soggy? What do you think? We're going to a weather update straight ahead.

And also Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles make it official tomorrow. We'll look at the history their relationship. I know Carol Lin is going to be talking about all that special coverage tomorrow.

LIN: All you royal watchers!

PHILLIPS: Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WEATHER

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Something just a little uptight about that music. Tomorrow is certainly a big day for Britain's royalty. Our accents need a little work, I think. We're told that fewer than 30 million people will attend Charles and Camilla's civil marriage ceremony.

LIN: Except his mom and dad. But when they do tie the know, Charles and Camilla make official a long and bumpy love affair. All before the critical eye of the British public. So CNN's Paula Hancock's brings it all to us right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Their eyes first met across a crowded polo field. It was 1970. Soon afterwards, Camilla teased Charles that an ancestor of hers had been the mistress of a previous Prince of Whales and then asked how about it?

SALLY CARTWRIGHT, HELLO MAGAZINE: She wasn't considered a suitable bride for Charles at that time. She had some kind of history. She'd had lovers. She wasn't a virgin. And at that stage, we were still thinking in a kind of 50s way that any royal bride to be a guaranteed certified virgin coming pure.

HANCOCKS: The relationship cooled when Charles joined the royal navy a year later. And in 1973 Camilla married her long-standing admirer, army officer, Andrew Parker Bowles. But the Charles/Camilla friendship remained strong.

CHARLES MOSLEY, DEBRETTS: I heard stories that he was almost engineered into proposing to Diana by Camilla. And that he proposed to Diana in Camilla's vegetable garden. I haven't seen them deny it. I have to say that.

HANCOCKS: The fairy tale wedding between Charles and Diana in 1981 made the Charles/Camilla romance look like ancient history. Only later did it emerge that as he was walking down the aisle, he was wearing cuff links with intertwined cuff links with intertwined letter Cs for Charles and Camilla.

The closeness of the relationship emerged in the 1990s. Illicit recordings of some rather amorous discussions between Charles and a woman widely assumed to be Camilla came to light in 1992, the same year Charles and Diana separated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is announced from Buckingham Palace with regret the Prince and Princess of Whales have decided to separate.

HANCOCKS: In 1994 Charles came clean with the country finally admitting there was another woman in his life. As Diana said in a television interview, there were three of us in that marriage. Camilla and Charles were both divorced by 1996, but still kept their relationship behind closed doors for fear of a public backlash. The death of Diana in a Paris car crash led to an outpouring of national grief in Britain. Camilla and Charles left it a year-and-a- half before they made their first public appearance together. Since then Camilla's public profile has been carefully cultivated in a not altogether successful attempt to ingratiate her with the public who loved Diana.

The engagement was finally announced on February 10th of this year. A very long road from the polo fields to the altar.

Paula Hancock's, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: All right, Kyra and I are going to do the next hour of LIVE FROM with accents.

PHILLIPS: And if you are a die-hard royal watcher, you are in luck with CNN. Live coverage of the nuptials and all the royal pomp that goes along, 6:00 a.m. Eastern, 3:00 a.m. Pacific. The royal wedding, live on CNN.

LIN: And stick around, also for more Charles and Camilla watching.

PHILLIPS: In our next hour, we'll talk to a royal watcher, Charles Mosley. LIVE FROM's hour of royal power begins right after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com