Madonna set the scene for Britain's showbusiness wedding of the year yesterday with the announcement that she will marry her film director boyfriend, Guy Ritchie, in the Scottish Highlands three days before Christmas.
The wedding will crown a triumphant year for the Queen of Pop, named "McDonna" by the tabloids after she picked Scotland for her event on December 22th. Back in the charts at the age of 42 after the birth of Rocco, her son with Ritchie, she attracted a world record webcast audience of nine million fans last month for her first British concert in seven years.
The banns signalling the forthcoming marriage were posted at the Dornoch registrar's office in Sutherland. The couple's names, Guy Stewart Ritchie and Madonna Louise Ciccone, were fourth and last on the list.
"There is a notice on the board in the council offices", said the Dornoch registrar, Mr Leslie Conner.
Tabloid speculation about the wedding has reached fever pitch, with the American star tipped to wear a wedding gown by Stella McCartney while Ritchie would be in a kilt in the Hunting Macintosh tartan.
Madonna's first wedding in 1985 was to the Hollywood star Sean Penn. That marriage ended after four years.