The tactical commander in charge of this weekend's royal wedding security measures says his role running the biggest operation ever undertaken by Thames Valley police marks the highlight of his career.

Superintendent Jim Weems is 'silver commander' of the operation.

The police now use gold, silver and bronze commanders to oversee major operations, working together to covering the strategic, tactical and operational challenges.

Superintendent Weems said: ""You could say the gold commander is the producer and I'm the director.

"It is about having the right resources in the right and that includes the PCSOs and people you will not see.

"Every sort of police staff will be there - horses, dogs, the air service.

"This is the biggest operation Thames Valley police have ever run and I feel very privileged."

One lesson to be learned he says is that you can never start preparing too early for an event like this weekend's. Work started as soon as the wedding date was announced.

Superintendent Weems is 48 and began his career in the police in 1993.

The biggest difference then was the absence of technology.

He said: "I love the technology now although there will always be people who exploit it for their own ends.

"Otherwise I don't think policing has changed - we are still there to serve people."

After the wedding it will be back to the day job as commander in charge of policing in the west area of Berkshire. But he is sure lessons will have been learned.

"We will certainly learn from this weekend. Things always keep on moving and we learn when things need modifying, it is always a learning experience."

A father of two daughters he knows what the family will be doing while he is busy supervising the biggest event to ever hit Windsor.

He said: "They are having a Prosecco party while I'm working."