Alexia Pienar, general manager at the Bel & Dragon, a few minutes' walk from Windsor and Eton Riverside station, said the town had been getting a bit of a makeover in preparation for the big day.
A Kiwi royal fanatic will spend as much time travelling as she will on the ground in the UK for a whirlwind trip for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.
Elaine Sutherland will take almost 32 hours to get to London, with three stopovers, and pay more than $1000 tospend just four days in the UK.
All going well, she plans to be one of the thousands expected to line the route the newlyweds will take through the town of Windsor tonight, New Zealand time.
The couple will be married in front of 600 guests inside St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The streets around the castle grounds were packed with crowds as the Prince and his bride arrived yesterday (Thursday UK time) for a rehearsal of the big event.
Markle smiled despite a tumultuous week in which she announced her father will not walk her down the aisle tomorrow. He had suffered a heart attack and was this week undergoing surgery. It also emerged earlier in the week he had staged photos with paparazzi.
Sutherland, a cosmetics manager in her 50s is originally from Waima, in the Hokianga area of Northland.
She now lives in Cairns, Australia, and is married with grown children, but has left them behind for her solo journey.
She was due to fly via Melbourne, Singapore and Dubai to get to the UK last night, just hours before the wedding.
Sutherland will have travelled a total of 19,688km, spent almost 26 hours in the air, and nearly six hours on the ground in three different airports, before arriving in London.
"My family and friends think I am bonkers," she told the Weekend Herald.
She was staying in a hotel in the London suburb of Paddington and planned to catch a train at 8am today to get to Windsor just before nine.
Kiwi Elaine Sutherland has flown from Cairns to be a part of the exciting atmosphere in Windsor. Photo / Supplied
While she knew it might be a bit late to grab a premium spot she was happy to just be a part of the atmosphere.
"It's all about the vibe and the experience of, fingers crossed, catching a glimpse of the couple on the big screens," Sutherland said.
"I can say for years to come that I was there, and it was delightful and amazing."
Sutherland recalls watching the royal family as a child and had a soft spot for Prince Charles.
"I would have to say Prince Charles is my favourite."
She said it was such a privilege to witness a part of history and see members of the royal family up close.
"I very much love the history of the royal family and have had my eyes glued on to everything and everyone [royal]. I'm very fascinated by the establishment and of course our Queen."
Souvenir sellers have popped up right across Windsor. Photo / Corazon Miller
Not all Kiwis were travelling so far. Emma Pedersen, 27, is a primary school teacher living in London, planned to catch a train to Windsor at 8am today with a group of friends and armed with a bottle of prosecco and a picnic lunch.
She was not a big royal fan, but Pedersen wanted to experience what would be a historic moment in royal history.
"It's about feeling the buzz and the atmosphere and that fact that in years to come we can say we were there."
Not everyone was so keen to tackle the crowds and one Kiwi expat couldn't be happier at the fact he would be elsewhere.
Clint Heine, manager of the Kiwi in London page, said he had been to Windsor on a "quiet day" and that was busy enough for him.
"It's a good day for Harry, he is the most popular royal by far. I wish him well."
The romance of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has captured the world's attention. Photo / AP
Instead Heine would be at the Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club in Middlesex celebrating the London Big Day Out for Kiwis, Australians and anyone else wanting to celebrate the antipodean culture.
"The day itself is not going to be based around the royal wedding, but we have a specific space to watch it."
He said there was going to be a British-themed bar, with a traditional British cocktail, Pimms, the royal wedding on a big screen, British flags and other wedding memorabilia.
Other Kiwis who have decided not to go to Windsor but want to catch a glimpse of the wedding have a myriad of other options to choose from with many restaurants, bars and even churches choosing to celebrate the distance from afar.
Kiwi lawyer Catherine Coup, 29, is going to watch the wedding on the big screen at the sold-out event at the Red Rooster in Shoreditch.
