British Royal Wedding

Prince William will keep his sweetheart Kate Middleton waiting for a wedding until June 2012 – when he turns 30.

Royal-watchers had expected the couple, who have been dating on and off for eight years, to tie the knot next summer.

But Prince Charles’ 27-year-old son has told Kate he wants to focus on his RAF duties before they wed. The postponement was revealed by close pal and singer Jules Knight, whose classical music boyband Blake are set to perform at the wedding.

Jules – a university friend of the couple – said: “They’ve decided not to marry just yet. William wants to wait until he is 30 and Kate is fine with that.” Jules added: “She’s mentioned Blake might be able to perform at the wedding, which would be brilliant for us.”

A pal said: “He is very careerminded and wants to get as high up as he can in the force. Kate knows he loves her and wants to marry her but also understands what it means to be the girlfriend of the future king.” (via People.co.uk)

Royal fave Zara Phillips is a lady in waiting – because Prince William can’t make up his mind about naming the day with Kate Middleton.

As second in line to the throne, William’s wedding plans have priority over those of the rest of the family. But until he makes up his mind, Zara, 28, is in limbo over her plans to wed rugby ace Mike Tindall. To name their day they need 27-year-old William’s blessing that their plans won’t clash with his and Kate’s.

A senior Palace aide said: “You can’t really have two major royal weddings in the same year – and we’re running out of years. You can’t have the world’s leaders here for the Olympics and then invite them all back two weeks later for Prince William’s wedding.”” (via Daily Star)

A Right Royal Wedding – Sunday Express
The bride was so stressed she resorted to herbal valium before the wedding, so it was only natural that royal newlyweds Freddie and Sophie Windsor were on a high yesterday as they tied the knot at Hampton Court Palace…

Sophie Winkleman struggles to walk in wedding dress – Daily Mail
The 29-year-old bride had six bridesmaids to help with her £5,000 gown, designed by Russian couture house Roza, together with a veil and lace bolero jacket. The corseted pearl white dress had a voluptuous skirt and 10ft detachable train…

Windsor marries Peep Show actress – BBC News
The bride, best known for her role as Big Suze in TV’s Peep Show, admitted she “wept throughout the whole thing”. About 400 guests, including Princess Eugenie, Lady Annabel Goldsmith, Jane Asher and singer Bryan Adams attended…

Freddie Windsor and Sophie Winkleman spurn cash deal – Times Online
Lord Freddie Windsor married his actress fiancée yesterday after striking a blow for his family’s honour by turning down offers of £600,000 from celebrity magazines who wanted to buy the rights to the wedding…

Photos: Lord Freddie Windsor and Sophie Winkleman Wedding – Belga

Photos: Lord Freddie Windsor’s Wedding – Getty Images

Lord Frederick Windsor will marry actress Sophie Winkleman in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court today. The couple became engaged on St Valentine’s Day earlier this year.

Lord Freddie set to tie the knot – PA
Hundreds of guests, thought to include Princess Eugenie and  Bryan Adams, are expected to fill the Chapel Royal for the evening ceremony…

They’re marrying in a palace, not setting up home there – Telegraph
Today sees the nuptials of Lord Frederick Windsor and his rather lovely other half, the actress Sophie Winkleman…

Windy & Winky – The most surreal royal wedding ever? – Guardian
This Saturday’s wedding at the Chapel Royal in Hampton Court now shows every sign of spiralling out of control…

Britain needs a royal wedding to help cheer up the nation but Prince William and Kate Middleton may have to wait to wed.

Nobody who knows the second in line to the throne and his long-term girlfriend seriously doubts they will get married. After eight years together and a much publicised short split and then reunion two years ago, it would look awful if they broke up now.

So when is this wedding likely to happen? Well, they might surprise us with an imminent announcement of a winter wedding but the royals, like most people in Britain, tend to get married in the summer and announce their engagement in the spring.

The Royal Family’s advisers, however, are alive to one factor that may make it difficult for a marriage to go ahead next summer too: a General Election, which must be held in the UK before June 3, 2010. Under the unwritten rules of our constitutional monarchy, the Royal Family must never do anything to detract attention away from an election.

Read the full story at the Daily Express…

This is Gloucestershire reports that rugby star Mike Tindall could propose to Zara Phillips after the 2012 Olympics – as long as she wins a gold medal!

The Queen’s granddaughter and world champion eventer has set her sights on Olympic gold in London in three years time. And if she does won the coveted medal then Mike has said he’ll pop the question.

The news was revealed by former England rugby player Will Greenwood. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Will says it was Mike who was talking passionately about horses rather than Zara.

“I am surprised when he talks of ‘flying changes’, ‘rein backs’, the four-star horses, and the promise that an Olympic gold medal might, if she’s lucky, be exchanged for a wedding ring”, he says.

British paper News of The World are claiming that Prince William & Kate Middleton have already set a date for their Wedding…

For the News of the World can reveal Kate is at the heart of a new palace strategy for the royal family. We have been told the couple, both 27, have reached “an understanding” that their eight-year relationship WILL end in marriage. It is no longer a question of if but when.

The plan is that by the time the Queen celebrates her historic Diamond Jubilee in 2012 Kate will be on the palace balcony at her side as a fully-fledged princess.

Well-placed sources say that while marriage is a “done deal” it is not expected until 2011 at the earliest. And this explains why Kate is not bothered by teasing nicknames like “Waity Katie” and remains so cool.

She is secure in the knowledge that the secret pact has already been made and the palace blueprint for the future, creating our next Prince and Princess of Wales, is already firmly in place.

Katie Nicholl reckons that Zara Phillips & Mike Tindall are pressuring the Royal Household to allow them to announce their engagement…

The pair have been dating since 2003 and had hoped to wed this year but were pipped to the post by Lord Freddie Windsor, who is marrying actress Sophie Winkleman next month.

‘The Palace has to give them the nod,’ says my source. ‘Zara is Royal and there are certain protocols.

There’s still the question of whether William and Kate will make an announcement. There can’t be two at once.’

Kate Middleton is set to be trained in royal protocol and media communications ahead of the expected announcement of her engagement to Prince William. The Daily Star reports…

Kate, 27, will not join nWilliam on any official engagements yet. But she will be trained in Palace protocol, how to behave on the engagements and how to deal with the media. She will also learn how royal properties and finances are run and will be given access to the family’s Chequers Committee –  headed by the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles – that controls royal estates.

She will also learn about royal patronage and how members of the family form official attachments to the armed forces.

Courtiers know that both Kate and William, 27, fear she will become a figure of obsessive public fascination once the engagement is announced. “It has the potential to be even more intense than it was for the Princess of Wales,” warned the aide. “But Kate is going to be the best-prepared royal bride ever.”

British tabloid News of the World reports that Prince William has ruled out marriage to Kate Middleton next year because he is too busy…

Instead, he will step up his role as a roving royal with two ground-breaking official tours to South Africa and Australia. The prince is also determined to complete his tough helicopter training course.

His hectic schedule means Kate and Wills – both now 27 – could be approaching 30 before they wed. One high-ranking Palace figure told the News of the World: “All this talk of a wedding next summer is wide of the mark.”

William’s trip to Australia is expected to take place early in the New Year. He will travel to South Africa in June, where he will carry out a series of engagements and attend the World Cup.