SAY CHEESE: Harry Potter actors attend a photocall outside of St Pancras Station and hotel in central London.

TURN AROUND: Emma Watson poses for photographers outside the St Pancras Hotel in London.

ONE LAST TIME: Rupert Grint and Emma Watson pose for photographers outside London's St Pancras station ahead of the film's final premiere.

KOOKY AS ALWAYS: Helena Bonham Carter arrives at the Harry Potter premiere in London.

THE COLOUR OF MONEY: JK Rowling arrives at the Harry Potter premiere in London.

SHOULDER TO CRY ON: Producer David Heyman hugs actress Emma Watson during speeches at the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 in Trafalgar Square in central London.

The young actors who have worked on the Harry Potter movies for half their lives say they are struggling to come to grips with the series ending.

Their journey began with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released by Warner Bros in 2001, and it ends 10 years later with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 which has its world premiere in London later today.

The central cast members, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, were between 9 and 11 years-old when they were chosen for the parts of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, respectively, meaning they grew up in a bubble of global movie stardom and personal wealth.

At their final press conference before the movie's launch, the stars were asked to reflect on how well they will cope with no longer being on the job.

"I don't think I still have really come to terms with that," said Grint, now 22. "After we finished (filming) a year ago now I have felt a little bit lost without it, really, and not really knowing what to do with myself.

"It's been such a constant part of my life and to suddenly have that come down to this one film, it is quite sad and I'm really genuinely going to miss it and miss everyone."

Watson, 21, described how she believed playing Hermione pushed her to become a better person in real life.

"I will actually just miss being her, getting to come into work every day and be this girl that lives in this magical amazing world and get to go on all the adventures that she goes on. That part's quite devastating."

Radcliffe, who addressed the packed press room in a pre-taped video because he was appearing in a play on Broadway, said the three share a strong friendship.

"I do think the bond between me and Rupert and Emma is pretty unbreakable, because I don't think anyone knows what it's like to go through this craziness. I will miss them both very, very much but hopefully we will find other projects to work together on."

NO OSCARS? NO PROBLEM

Director David Yates, who made the final four Potter films, was asked whether he was bothered by the fact that the Potter films had been consistently overlooked for major film awards, including the Oscars.

Despite several nominations, mainly in technical departments, the seven films released so far have failed to pick up a single Academy Award, a fact some critics argued was a major oversight.

"I think we've all made peace with that in a way," Yates said. "There are so many things to enjoy being part of this whole series of films, most of all the affection of the fans and the fact that there's a global community who follow these stories with great passion."

He pointed out that hundreds of Potter fans from around the world were camping in Trafalgar Square, the venue of Thursday's red carpet premiere, just to be a part of the final chapter.

"That's more of a compensation than lots of trophies so I think we're cool about that," Yates said.

The seven previous films have made around $6.4 billion at the box office, and JK Rowling's books on which they are based have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide.

Deathly Hallows - Part 2 is the first Potter movie to be available in 3D, and industry experts predict it to perform strongly when it hits theatres, starting on July 14.

Asked to explain the franchise's success, Yates replied: "It's the beautiful books that they're based on that have this global fan base, and this eclectic series of characters ... there's kind of something for everybody I think.

"Also the fact that their world offers us something bigger and more extraordinary than our ordinary lives and I think there's a sort of sense of wish fulfillment in that."

In Deathly Hallows - Part 2, Harry moves inexorably toward a final showdown with his nemesis Lord Voldemort, played by Ralph Fiennes.

One effects-laden battle scene at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry seems straight out of a war movie, with death and destruction on a large scale as the young magicians struggle to stave off the forces of evil.

Yates and producer David Heyman said they were confident there would not be another Harry Potter novel or film.

"It (the series) will be sorely missed," Yates said. "It's going to create a huge hole."

POTTER FANS BRAVE ELEMENTS

Hundreds of Harry Potter fans queued patiently to catch a glimpse of their on-screen heroes at Thursday's world premiere of the eighth and final film in the record-breaking cinema franchise.

A small number of hard-core devotees of the boy wizard stories created by British author JK Rowling have been camping in London's Trafalgar Square since Monday to get a front row view.

The enthusiasm sums up how Rowling's seven novels, and the eight Warner Bros movies based on them, have captured the imagination of millions of young fans around the world.

"I have grown up in the Harry Potter generation, it's a limbo state after this," said Rhyss Bowen Jones, 18, who travelled from Wales to queue for a wristband for the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.

Lucy Nee, also 18, added: "I can't remember a time when there hasn't been a book or film to look forward to. It's a nice coincidence that Harry finishes school at the same time as me, it feels like we've grown up together."

The new film hits theatres on July 14, and is the first Harry Potter movie to be released in 3D.

The seven films released so far have earned more than $6 billion at the global box office, building on the success of the books which have sold over 400 million copies worldwide.

"As soon as I heard people were setting up camp I rushed down from Kent" said Yasmin, 21, who has been staying at the central London landmark since Monday.

Some fans were dressed in full wizarding robes and hats, while others read Rowling's novels as they waited for the big night.

Emily Yousaman and Emily Davis, both 16, spent four weeks on their collection of humourous signs, including one reading "Accio Rupert Grint" - a reference to the fictional summoning charm used in the Potter universe.

Actor Grint (22) plays Ron Weasley, one of three principal characters, and, like his two co-stars, he is a household name in Britain and a multi-millionaire thanks to the commercial success of the films.

Daniel Radcliffe (21) plays Harry and Emma Watson (21) Hermione.

All three will be on the red carpet in Trafalgar Square on Thursday evening to greet screaming fans and give the franchise a star-studded send off.

For many followers, "Pottermania" has meant more than just a teenage crush or fleeting passion for the magical world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Harry Potter got me through secondary school, I made new friends through it," said 22-year-old Niamh, who was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words "Danaholics Anonymous" in honor of Radcliffe.

Rhys, 18, commented: "We've grown up in the Harry Potter generation - I read the first book when I was five so now it's weird that it's coming to an end ... like the end of childhood."