Queen’s granddaughter set to wed rugby standout

Prince William and Kate Middleton,now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,are expected,along with Prince Harry (still single) and bright lights from Britain’s sports and show business worlds.

The nuptials of Phillips,30,and Tindall,32,are expected to be far more low-key than William’s wedding in late April,which was watched live on television throughout much ofthe world.

Phillips,who does not carry a royal title,and Tindall prefer to stay out of the limelight when they are not competing,and the wedding has been organised to reflect their desires.

“It’s the complete opposite end of the royal wedding spectrum,” said Joe Little,managing editor of Majesty magazine. “William and Zara are both the queen’s grandchildren: He’s got the title,he’s going to be the monarch,but Zara thinks of herself more as a sportswoman than as a royal.”

He said Phillips and her fiance go about their daily lives “like regular people” without police protection and are generally left alone even by people who recognise them.

They have come to enjoy their privacy,and have taken steps to make sure there is no live television coverage of the wedding,with only very limited press coverage,Little said.

The couple seem very different from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Phillips is a casual,understated and sporty woman who doesn’t mind drinking beer from a bottle in public from time to time; Tindall is a powerful standout in rugby,the quintessential (and sometimes brutal) English sport.

Phillips has a lovely,unlined face,while Tindall’s visage reflects the rigors of his sport.

The publicity-shy Phillips seems to have used William’s wedding as a cover for her own,hoping the tremendous attention paid to his choice of bride would shield her from an intense publicity buildup surrounding her own plans to marry Tindall,her longtime boyfriend.

She and Tindall announced their engagement shortly after William and Middleton’s announcement generated worldwide headlines,and she scheduled her wedding after William’s,choosing Edinburgh over London,which is a huge media hub