The Mail on Sunday is reporting that friends of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall say they will marry in May next year. They have been secretly engaged for some months.

Mike and Zara at Cheltenham races earlier this year

The favoured venue, as of now, seems to be St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, with a reception at Frogmore House. Zara and Mike were clearly impressed with the ambience of her brother Peter’s nuptials in May. They will not be repeating the involvement of Hello! magazine, however.

Zara’s father, Mark Phillips, who coaches his daughter in her three-day eventing specialism, has asked her to delay an announcement until after the Beijing Olympics to concentrate on winning a gold medal. Zara has been the European Champion and currently holds the World title.

Any other Royal wedding planned for next year is likely to be in mid-summer to avoid a clash.

As it’s a slow news Sunday here’s a shot of the River Exe I took this morning.

The River Exe at Exeter with two canoeists enjoying the June weather

There’s an interesting article in the Telegraph by Hannah Betts suggesting that the Queen is using Camilla as a fashion role model.

Although slightly tongue-in-cheek the piece points out the similarity of their attire at last week’s Windsor wedding.

There’s also another dig at Princess Beatrice who is described as living on her own fashion planet.

As I know nothing about fashion, you should read it yourself.

Read the complete article.

Princess Beatrice at yesterday’s Royal wedding. No comment.

The big day dawns for Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly with controversy swirling around the supposedly private wedding in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

The Queen and Peter Phillips together on a cruise

Indeed, so private will it be that only Hello! magazine photographers will be allowed into the church for the ceremony and to Frogmore House for the reception. A small number of selected snappers will be permitted shots of the couple on the steps of the Chapel after the event. A single official photograph will be released to commemorate the occasion.

Buckingham Palace officials have said they knew nothing of the arrangements for the Hello! photographers, nor that they had been sold exclusive rights to the wedding for Wednesday’s edition.

It’s clear the Queen did not know either, but will surely be aware of it now, following her return from a State visit to Turkey with Prince Philip.

Peter Phillips and his wife-to-be seem to have placed the Queen and the Duke in the embarrassing position of emulating the likes of Victoria Beckham and Paris Hilton for this occasion.

One can imagine the Duke’s response. The Queen will probably be more emolient but must be displeased that she has been undermined in this way. Simply going to the event will make her complicit in the WAGish elements of the day.

The public should not have to pay for access, via a celebrity magazine, to the wedding of the Monarch’s grandson, which is partly supported by public funds.

At least Prince William is well out of it, hidden away in the African bush.