Annabel Croft had plenty of reasons to celebrate over the weekend as her daughter, Lily Saffron Coleman, married Felix McCorquodale, a relative of the late Princess Diana, in an elegant London wedding filled with family moments, heartfelt tributes and lavish details.
Lily, 28, exchanged vows with the 31-year-old insurance executive at St Mary’s Church in Battersea on Saturday. Annabel, the former British No. 1 tennis player and Strictly Come Dancing star, was among those celebrating the milestone alongside the couple’s family and friends.
The occasion carried particular emotional significance for Annabel, 60, whose husband and Lily’s father, Mel Coleman, died in May 2023, aged 60. Mel had been battling advanced cancer when he developed sepsis.
Before his death, Mel had privately given Felix his blessing to marry Lily, a touching detail Annabel said she discovered only years later. Speaking to the Daily Mail last year, she recalled Felix telling her that Mel had assured him he had permission to marry his daughter.
The revelation added a deeply personal dimension to a day that marked a new chapter for Lily and Felix.
An Elegant Ceremony With Scottish Touches
After the ceremony, the newlyweds emerged near the River Thames to cheers and a shower of confetti. Live bagpipes paid tribute to Felix’s Scottish heritage, adding a distinctive touch to the celebrations.
Lily looked radiant in an ivory wedding gown featuring a draped neckline, sheer sleeves and a sweeping train. She carried a bouquet of pink, purple and burgundy flowers, while Felix wore traditional morning dress, including a dark tailcoat, striped trousers and a pale pink waistcoat with a matching tie.
The couple later climbed into a vintage black Morris Minor convertible to travel to their reception. Decorated with ribbons, a “Just Married” banner and a sign reading “The McCorquodales,” the car provided another memorable detail from the day.
Annabel also made a striking appearance in a bronze-patterned gown with flowing sleeves and a coordinating floral headpiece. She joined Lily, Felix and her other children for family photographs.
Lily’s older sister, Amber Llewellyn, 32, shared moments from the celebrations on social media, including a photograph of Annabel holding her 13-month-old son, Arlo. Amber affectionately captioned the image “Glamorous grannabel,” reflecting the nickname Annabel embraced after becoming a grandmother for the first time in 2025.
Lily also shared photographs from the weekend on Instagram, describing it as the “best weekend ever.” Amber celebrated the occasion as “The happiest day!”
The Family Connection to Princess Diana
Felix’s family history added another point of interest to the wedding. He is related to Raine Spencer, formerly Raine McCorquodale, who became Princess Diana’s stepmother after marrying Diana’s father, John Spencer, the 8th Earl Spencer, in 1976.
Raine was the daughter of romantic novelist Barbara Cartland and was famously nicknamed “Acid Raine” amid reports of a difficult relationship with Diana. The two reportedly grew closer in later years.
The connection places Felix within the extended family network associated with the late princess, although the wedding itself was a celebration of Lily and Felix’s relationship.
A Stylish Reception and an Evening Outfit Change
The reception took place at Wild by Tart, a restaurant and events venue in Belgravia co-founded by Jemima Jones, the former model married to environmentalist Ben Goldsmith.
Guests gathered around long banquet tables decorated with colourful flowers, candles and striped lamps. Personalised menus and place settings added individual touches, while embroidered napkins carried the message “Happy Tears.”
The wedding breakfast featured focaccia to start and Barbary duck as the main course. A rectangular cake decorated with flowers and fruit was supplied by The Clementine Kitchen, and the festivities continued into the evening with dancing beneath a glittering disco ball.
Lily later changed into a short white feathered dress paired with bright pink platform heels, trading her traditional bridal gown for a playful party look. Photographs also captured the newlyweds sharing a humorous kiss in a bathroom and being lifted onto guests’ shoulders during the celebrations.
The wedding followed the couple’s engagement announcement in September 2025, which came just weeks after Lily’s brother, Charlie Coleman, 29, married Honour Wainwright, an heiress to the Boodles jewellery fortune, at her family’s home in Hampshire.
Annabel welcomed Lily’s engagement at the time, calling it “the most wonderful news” and saying it made her very happy.
A New Chapter After a Devastating Loss
Lily’s wedding comes after a difficult period for Annabel, who has spoken openly about the grief she experienced following Mel’s death.
The couple met in 1987, when Mel, a former international yachtsman and investment banker, taught Annabel to sail for a television programme. He died just weeks before their 30th wedding anniversary after cancer spread from his colon to other organs. Annabel later revealed that sepsis, caused by a perforated tumour, was the immediate cause of his death.
In the months following his passing, Annabel joined the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered with professional dancer Johannes Radebe and reached the semi-finals.
She has credited the programme with helping her navigate her grief, particularly as she faced the prospect of returning to a family home without her husband. Having something positive to concentrate on, she explained, became an important part of her healing process.
Annabel has since welcomed two grandchildren, with both children’s names reflecting family connections. Amber’s son, Arlo, has the middle name Melvyn in honour of his late grandfather, while Charlie’s daughter, Cosima Elizabeth Annabel, was named after her two grandmothers.
As Lily and Felix begin married life together, the wedding brought joy to the family while also keeping the memory of Mel close to a milestone he had once hoped to see.
Source: Compiled from various sources.
