Annabel Croft's Daughter Lily Marries Princess Diana's Relative in London
The lavish wedding ceremony took place at St Mary's Church, Battersea.
Annabel Croft watched with pride as her daughter, TV presenter Lily Saffron Coleman, married Felix McCorquodale, a relative of Princess Diana, at a wedding in London over the weekend.
The ceremony was held at St Mary's Church, Battersea, with friends and family in attendance. Lily, 28, is a sports presenter who previously worked as a producer on reality television shows. Her husband, Felix, 31, is an insurance executive.
The wedding occurred more than three years after the death of Lily's father, Mel Coleman, Annabel's husband, who passed away in May 2023 at the age of 60 after developing sepsis amid treatment for advanced cancer. Annabel, a former British number one tennis player and a contestant on "Strictly Come Dancing," revealed that her late husband had given Felix his blessing to marry Lily, a detail she learned years later.
Felix is a descendant of Raine Spencer, Princess Diana's stepmother, who was married to John Spencer, the 8th Earl Spencer. Raine Spencer was the daughter of novelist Barbara Cartland.
Following the ceremony, the couple departed in a vintage black convertible adorned with a "Just Married" banner and a sign reading "The McCorquodales." Live bagpipes played to honor Felix's Scottish heritage.
Lily wore an ivory wedding gown with a draped neckline and sheer sleeves. She carried a bouquet of pink, purple, and burgundy flowers. Felix chose traditional morning dress, including a dark tailcoat, striped trousers, and a pale pink waistcoat and tie.
Annabel Croft, 60, was seen in a patterned bronze gown with flowing sleeves and a matching floral headpiece. She posed for family photographs with her other children, Charlie Coleman, 29, and Amber Llewellyn, 32, and their partners. Amber shared a photo of Annabel holding her 13-month-old son, Arlo, captioning it "Glamorous grannabelll." Charlie and his wife, Honour Wainwright, welcomed their four-month-old daughter, Cosima.
The reception was held at Wild by Tart in Belgravia. Guests were seated at long banquet tables decorated with flowers and candles. The wedding cake was rectangular and adorned with fruit and flowers. For the evening celebration, Lily changed into a short white feathered dress with bright pink platform heels.
Lily and Felix announced their engagement in September of the previous year, shortly after Lily's brother Charlie married Honour Wainwright at her family's home in Hampshire.
Annabel has previously spoken about her grief following Mel Coleman's death. The couple met in 1987 when Mel, a former yachtsman and investment banker, taught Annabel to sail for a television program. Mel died weeks before their 30th wedding anniversary. Annabel later participated in the 2023 season of "Strictly Come Dancing," reaching the semi-finals, and credited the show with aiding her recovery from grief.
Annabel's grandchildren's names also honor family members. Amber's son Arlo has the middle name Melvyn, and Charlie's daughter Cosima was named after her two grandmothers. The reception featured personalized menus and place settings, with guests receiving embroidered napkins. The festivities included dancing under a disco ball.