Almost 25 years ago, a fairytale royal wedding captured the hearts of the British people and brought them out into the streets.

All over the country, neighbours pitched in to offer tables and chairs, prepare party food and put up bunting for outdoor celebrations to mark the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

But the streets of Sussex were eerily quiet as Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles wed in a civil ceremony at Windsor on Saturday.

Thousands of well-wishers turned out in Windsor hoping to catch a glimpse of Prince Charles and the newly-titled Duchess of Cornwall outside the Guildhall and Windsor Castle where the marriage was blessed in St George's Chapel by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.

Away from Windsor, though, the scene was rather different.

In 1981 Victoria Road, Southwick, was the scene of one of many street parties celebrating Charles' first wedding but on Saturday the road was empty.

Gail Bell, 63, who lives in the road and has four grown-up sons, went to the 1981 party and even baked a commemorative cake for the occasion.

Mrs Bell, who was pictured at the street party in The Argus, said: "There was a very nice atmosphere.

"We had just moved to the street so we joined in the party and got to meet all our neighbours. All the ladies were doing the hokey-cokey down the street by the end. It was a lovely day.

"The wedding did have that fairytale aspect to it. We were all pleased he had chosen such a good girl."

However, Mrs Bell said she did not want to celebrate Charles' second marriage.

She said: "I've lost interest. If he is happy, then that is fine.

"It doesn't worry me that he is marrying Camilla or that he is marrying again but I think there have been too many other major events this week such as the Pope dying that make this seem a bit irrelevant."

Neighbour Doreen Heathcote, 83, also baked cakes for the last street party but was doing nothing to celebrate the latest wedding.

She said: "I'm not particularly interested. The whole thing has been dragging on for such a long time."

Sadie Ewins has lived in the road for the last three years.

She said: "I watched a bit of the wedding on TV but it doesn't have the same sort of appeal. It wasn't a case of boy-meets-girl. There has been a lot of heartache in between which has caused a lot of ill-feeling."

Rachel Bunker, 34, said: "I watched the wedding when Charles and Diana got married but I am not really into the royals much and I am too busy to watch TV."

Indifference to the wedding was apparent in the streets of Brighton and Hove too.

Pauline Stevens, 46, of Coldean, said: "I don't like the way they have lied leading up to this one.

"It doesn't matter what they say, Camilla will be Queen when Charles is King and she will be the Princess of Wales whether she calls herself that or not. It should all be above board because if he is going to be king he needs to be popular."

Jim Nally, 35, of Hythe Road, Fiveways, said: "I'm glad about it because it means it's another nail in the coffin for the monarchy. What they are doing is technically not allowed but everyone seems to be turning a blind eye to it."

Laura Davey, 19, of Hollingbury Crescent, Brighton, said: "I think it is a bit outdated to say they shouldn't do it because they have been divorced.

"People should leave them alone."