UK holds second royal wedding

30 July 2011 Last updated at 14:55 GMT Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips emerge from Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips has married England rugby player Mike Tindall at a ceremony in Edinburgh.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were among those at the wedding in Canongate Kirk on a sunny Royal Mile.

Hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets for Scotland's first royal wedding in almost 20 years.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Catherine, and Prince Harry were also attending the ceremony and reception at Holyroodhouse.

The Reverend Neil Gardner welcomed guests up the Royal Mile, including the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

The bride's dress, an ivory silk and satin gown, was designed by Stewart Parvin, one of the Queen's favourite couturiers. This was accompanied by a veil, tiara and Jimmy Choo shoes.

It is Scotland's first royal wedding in almost 20 years

The doors of the Canongate Kirk were closed to the press and public, but hundreds of well-wishers gathered in Edinburgh's Old Town to watch the arrival and departure of the Royal Family.

After the ceremony the couple emerged arm-in-arm, stood on the steps to the entrance to the 17 Century kirk and shared a kiss.

The newlyweds arrived back at the palace as the Royal Scots Association pipe band played.

Among the crowds who turned out for the day was Jackie Rushton, 48, from Yorkshire, who told BBC Scotland: "I just love anything to do with the Royal Family, I'm a big fan, I have great respect for them."

Another well-wisher, Margaret Kittle, 76, travelled from Winona in Canada to see the wedding.

She said: "I've come to all the royal weddings since Princess Anne and Mark Phillips' wedding.

"I like to come to the weddings and all the royal occasions that I can, because the Queen is queen of Canada."

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Zara Phillips is believed to be setting a royal precedent by not taking the surname of Mike Tindall.

Even when they marry commoners, Royal brides have always adopted the family name of their partners.

When Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, daughter of Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon, wed Daniel Chatto in 1994 she took on his name.

Zara's decision appears to be based on the fact she wants to preserve her sporting persona and business interests.

The former equestrian world champion is known throughout the sport as Zara Phillips and she has signed a number of deals which help fund her sporting interests.

Other guests included Prince Andrew and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

The private afternoon ceremony will be followed by a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The couple hosted a pre-wedding party on the royal yacht Britannia, which is moored in Leith, on Friday night.

They had previously attended a rehearsal for the ceremony at the kirk with the bride's parents, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips.

Princess Anne's second marriage, to Timothy Laurence, was the last Scottish royal wedding in 1992.

Zara, 30, will keep her maiden name when she marries. It is understood this is because of her sporting career in equestrianism.

Mr Tindall, from Otley in Yorkshire, plays for club side Gloucester and has been capped more than 60 times for his country.

He invited some of England's best-known rugby players to the wedding.

He and best man Iain Balshaw were part of England's winning 2003 rugby World Cup squad in Australia, where the couple were introduced by Zara's cousin Prince Harry.

Lothian and Borders Police said they had been working with the Palace and Edinburgh City Council to ensure the event's smooth running.

Supt Ivor Marshall, who is the Silver Commander responsible for overseeing security arrangements, said the kirk's location, close to both the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, yet set on the busy tourist hub of the Royal Mile, presented unique challenges.

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N Ireland police sorry for wedding blunder

22 July 2011 Last updated at 16:42 GMT Yanan Sun and Neil McElwee's wedding was stopped by police A Castlederg man has rejected an apology from the police after they interrupted his wedding on suspicion it was "a sham marriage".

The police wrongly arrested Neil McElwee and his pregnant fiancee, Yanan Sun, moments before the ceremony at the Guildhall in Londonderry on Tuesday.

Chief Inspector John Burrows said the police had acted in good faith, but sometimes they got things wrong.

Mr McElwee said "sorry" would not make up for the distress caused.

The couple were taken to a police station, forced to dress in forensic clothing and separated.

They were held for five hours and only released when their solicitor got involved. They were married the next day in nearby Castlederg.

The police told the couple they were acting on an anonymous tip-off.

They have accepted that they made a mistake and have apologised.

'Mess-up'

However, Mr McElwee said: "It just doesn't add up - something on that scale based on an anonymous letter and some paperwork faxed through about two hours before the wedding. It just doesn't happen like that.

"So there's a lot of questions that need [to be] answered and there's a lot of people responsible for this mess-up.

"An apology? It's just no good - apologies won't give us our day back. It won't make everything better."

Mr McElwee's solicitor Karina Breslin Carlin said: "I do have concerns that the Borders Agency have taken the view here, that if it's alleged this is a sham marriage, it's a great opportunity to go into this wedding ceremony and see how many Chinese nationals are there who may not have the correct paperwork in order.

"You can't replace a man's wedding day, you can't replace a bride walking in on her wedding day to assembled guests. They will never get that moment back, they'll never get those memories back."

One wedding guest has been referred for deportation.

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Monaco celebrates wedding gala

2 July 2011 Last updated at 17:22 GMT Thousands of guests were invited to the wedding

Prince Albert II of Monaco has married South African former swimmer Charlene Wittstock in a religious ceremony, after Friday's civil wedding.

Some 3,500 guests, including royalty and celebrities, attended the event at the Place du Palais.

This was to be followed by a lavish dinner prepared by a celebrity chef.

Prince Albert II, 53, and Princess Charlene, 33, were married in a civil ceremony staged in the principality on Friday.

Earlier in the week, the palace denied reports in the French press that Ms Wittstock was having second thoughts about the wedding.

Princess' tears

On Saturday, Prince Albert II, and now Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene each said "Oui" (Yes) at the service led by the Archbishop of Monaco, Bernard Barsi.

The archbishop held the couple's hands together, before declaring: "What God has joined, men must not divide."

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene then exchanged rings in white gold and platinum.

After the ceremony, the couple walked to a chapel dedicated to Monaco's patron saint, St Devote, where Princess Charlene placed her bouquet - as the local tradition required.

The princess then burst into tears as a young choir sang.

The guest-list at the religious ceremony included the kings of Spain, Sweden, Lesotho and Belgium, the presidents of France, Iceland, Ireland, Lebanon, Malta, Germany and Hungary, France's richest man, celebrated opera singers, top models and racing car divers.

Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and supermodel Naomi Campbell, also attended.

The UK was represented by Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II.

All the ingredients for the lavish celebratory meal, created by Alain Ducasse - himself a Monaco citizen - will come from within a 10km (6-mile) radius of Monaco.

More than 1,000 journalists from around the world have been accredited to cover the festivities in the principality, whose citizens number just 7,618.

Princess Charlene represented South Africa in the swimming competitions at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The tiny principality, which covers about 2 sq km (less than one square mile), is the world's smallest independent state after the Vatican City.

Prince Albert II has been the ruler of Monaco since the death of his father, Prince Rainier III, in 2005.

Friday's event was clouded by press reports suggesting that Ms Wittstock had come close to returning to South Africa, after learning secrets about Prince Albert's private life.

The royal family dismissed the claims, as well as suggestions she had only turned back after royal aides persuaded her to stay as "jealous rumours".

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Monaco set for Albert's wedding

30 June 2011 Last updated at 11:11 GMT The wedding of Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock will be a glittering affair, with guests from around the world Up to 3,500 guests are to attend lavish celebrations in Monaco to mark the wedding of Prince Albert II and South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock.

Friday's civil wedding will be followed a day later by a religious ceremony at the royal palace on the Mediterranean.

Ms Wittstock, 33, who swam in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will become Her Serene Highness, Princess Charlene.

The palace has denied reports in the French press that Ms Wittstock was getting cold feet about the wedding.

The guest list includes heads of state and royalty, from French President Nicolas Sarkozy to the heir to the Spanish throne, as well as fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Charlene Wittstock will wear a Giorgio Armani gown.

Rumours denied

The couple will then proceed to the nearby chapel of Saint Devote, the patron saint of Monaco, where Ms Wittstock will leave her bouquet.

The civil ceremony will be held in this lavish room at the palace

But the event has been clouded by press reports suggesting that Ms Wittstock had come close to returning to South Africa, after learning secrets about Prince Albert's private life.

The royal family dismissed the claims, as well as suggestions she had only turned back after royal aides persuaded her to stay.

"These rumours have no other goal than to severely damage the reputation of the monarch and thereby that of Miss Wittstock and severely undermine this happy event," said the palace.

Ryk Neethling, a fellow South African Olympic swimmer said: "I just spoke to her assistant and whatever the story is, it's not true.

"I called her and asked if everything is okay, and they said everything is fine."

Charlene Wittstock was born in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo, moving to South Africa with her family at the age of 12.

Two Olympians

She represented South Africa at the Commonwealth Games before competing in Sydney as part of the women's medley relay team that finished fifth in the final.

Prince Albert II, 53, has been the ruler of Monaco since the death of his father, Prince Rainier III, in 2005.

He was also an athlete, competing in bobsleigh in five Olympics.

The Prince and Ms Wittstock made their relationship public by appearing together at the Turin Winter Olympics of 2006, after meeting in 2000 at a swimming event in Monaco.

She ended her swimming career in 2007 and has travelled widely for charity events with her fiance.

The tiny principality, which covers about 2 square km (less than one square mile), is the world's smallest independent state after the Vatican City.

It has seen glamorous weddings in the past.

In 1956 the Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier.

The wedding ushered in an unprecedented era of glamour that ended with her tragic death in a car crash in 1982.

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