Tracy Smith: My evening with Prince William

LONDON - CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith is in London covering the royal wedding

Here's how my husband John, a producer for "CBS Sunday Morning," and I explained to our 3-year-old twins why we had to go to London: "A prince and princess are getting married... and Mommy and Daddy are going to the wedding."

Now we all know that's a bit of an exaggeration. We won't be inside Westminster Abbey - we'll be somewhere along the parade route, buffeted by people wearing Union Jacks in ways I never thought possible.

But tonight, ah yes, tonight, we got closer than we ever thought we would.

We were walking around the Mall, figuring out our plan for the wedding day, and noticed a small crowd gathering around the entrance to Clarence House, Prince Charles' residence. Someone was coming out. Could it be Camilla? Prince Charles? Just our luck it would be the Corgis!

Nope. It was Prince William!

Now, I'm not a Royal watcher at heart. The boys seem nice and all and I admire their service to their country, and feel for the sadness they've had to endure. But when he shook my hand (yes, my hand!), and admitted that he's "a little nervous" about tomorrow, my knees went weak. And when the woman next to me said "your mum would be proud of you," my eyes welled with tears.

William seemed genuinely concerned about the welfare of the women who planned to camp there all night. "Will you be warm enough?" he asked, thanking them over and over for their well-wishes. A moment later, he was gone... but sent Harry over to ask again if the women campers would be OK. "Do you have some food to munch on? And drinks?" he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Now we can go home and tell the twins we met not one, but two princes. And they were charming, indeed.

Please watch our wrap up of the wedding, and a look at the future of Will and Kate and the monarchy, this week on "CBS Sunday Morning."