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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Germany impounds Thai royal jet

13 July 2011 Last updated at 14:34 GMT Bailiffs have sealed the plane at Munich airport German administrators have impounded a jet used by Thailand's Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, in a dispute over an unpaid debt from 20 years ago.

The administrators say Thailand's government has refused to pay a bill of more than 30m euros (?26m; $43m) to a now-defunct German construction firm.

The Boeing 737 was seized by court order, and will remain grounded, said a spokesman for Munich airport.

Thailand's Foreign Ministry said the seizure was "highly inappropriate".

"The Thai authorities have expressed to the German government its great concern over the incident and have requested it to resolve the problem as soon as possible," ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi told Reuters news agency.

But Walter Schneider, the administrator for the now-bankrupt construction firm, said the "drastic measure" was "virtually the last resort".

"The Thai government always stalled and did not respond to our demands," he said.

The German firm was part of a consortium that helped to build a toll road between Bangkok and Don Muang airport.

The Thais claim a court decision is still pending on the debt, but the German administrators say the matter has already been decided.

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First commissioned photo of royal couple released

A new portrait photograph of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the first to be commissioned of the two together, has been released by the National Portrait Gallery, as part of an exhibition to mark next year's Diamond Jubilee called The Queen: Art and Image.

The large-scale portrait, measuring 1.5m by 2m, shows the Queen and Prince Philip seated together in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.

The photograph was taken on 7 April 2011 and commissioned to mark the Queen's forthcoming Diamond Jubilee, in the year of the Duke's 90th birthday.

"I wanted to leave them both in their royal environment, and of course not try to disguise who they are, but also show them as an elderly couple who are together," artist Thomas Struth told arts editor Will Gompertz.

"I selected what in America you call a love seat, which is a small two-seater sofa which would make them sit together, and yet both in their own aura."

What do you think of the new royal portrait? Get in touch via email , Twitter or Facebook.

This is an attractive portrait. I hear what the photographer is saying about sitting together, each in their own aura, but wouldn't it be nice to see them holding hands? Why not - they are an elderly couple who have spent 60 years together and what a message that would have sent.
Paul Smith, Pluckley, Kent, UK

This image is dull and no charisma about it. If this is end result of the image after probably 50 shots to choose from this guy should change his job. I would be happy to challenge this image using my basic Pentax KX. So to sum it up - too dark, boring, lacks charisma, looks like the photographer was rushing the image.
James , Milton Keynes

I very much like the idea of the portrait but could they not have been shown with a bit of a smile? They may then have looked like happy couple, not just an elderly couple.
Julie Pollard, Lincoln, UK

This is unfortunately a very poor portrait - it is cold and not regal at all... it could just be somebody's Grandparents sat in their (albeit posh) front-room. It actually looks as if they don't know each other!
A Dinnaken, London, UK

An impressive photograph - immaculately composed and a visual metaphor of their public role when together. The slightly forward position of the Queen in conjunction with the reflected light off her dress place her in the 'spotlight'. Whereas the stoic Duke sits slightly to the rear with his face partially in the shade. Top marks to Thomas Struth.
Peter Saltmarsh, Swanwick, Derbyshire

Wonderful.
Vanda Watling, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex

It's a great picture for lighting, colour and composition of the two subjects. I do think, however that the couple are just too far apart. They are married after all. It looks like they are disconnected and not as husband and wife.
Paul Milton-Lyons, Newhaven, Sussex

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