Zara Phillips, 29, and rugby star Mike Tindall, 32, will tie the knot today / AP Source: AP
Britain's Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara Phillips with her father Mark arrive for her wedding to England rugby player Mike Tindall, at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. Picture: Owen Humphreys / AP
ZARA Phillips won't change her name when she marries England Rugby hero Mike Tindall today.
Zara, 30, is a world-class equestrienne who is well-known across the sporting world by her present name.
Queen Elizabeth's eldest granddaughter is believed to have made the decision to keep her own name because of her career as a sportswoman.
Zara is not an HRH (Her Royal Highness) but just a plain "Miss", a decision taken at the insistence of her mother, Princess Anne.
Thousands have gathered in Edinburgh's Royal Mile for the couple's wedding, which had been billed as a private family affair.
Royal fans gather ahead of the wedding between Britain's Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. Picture: Ben Stansall / AFP
Source: No Source
Around 30 people had camped out overnight to ensure they had a front-row view of the event. Many had brought sleeping bags and deckchairs as they eagerly waited to see the bride and groom.
The nearby Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official Scottish home, is the venue for the wedding reception and likely to stage the evening dinner, where best man Iain Balshaw, Tindall's former Gloucester and England teammate, will give his speech.
Among the church's distinctive pale blue pews, senior members of the royal family will be seated, including the Queen and Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and Prince Harry.
Prince William and his wife, Kate, are also expected to be among the royal guests, along with Zara's brother, Peter Phillips and wife Autumn, and the Duke of York and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Taking pride of place at the church will be Zara's parents, the Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, with their spouses, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence and Sandy Pflueger respectively, and the groom's parents, Linda and Phil Tindall.
England's leading rugby names are also expected to attend.
0 comments:
Post a Comment