Star Bale’s wedding to childhood love is put on hold as she faces family turmoil
FOOTBALL superstar Gareth Bale and his fiancee Emma Rhys-Jones have postponed their wedding amid “family turmoil”.
The childhood sweethearts were planning a lavish ceremony in an Italian castle.
Superstar Beyonce was even rumoured to have been lined up as their wedding singer.
But yesterday it emerged the wedding has been put on hold until next summer following a “rollercoaster” year for the couple.
A family source said Emma, 26, hopes the delay will allow her time to heal her rift with former jailbird father Martin, 54.
She and Real Madrid forward Gareth, 29, also hope a violent drugs feud that has engulfed her family will quieten down if the wedding is delayed.
Cars belonging to her grandparents and an aunt were set ablaze in 2016, while petrol was poured through the door of another aunt’s home in North Wales.
The source said: “There is so much family turmoil right now that they want things to settle down before tying the knot. They are still very much in love but they have had a lot of issues to deal with.”
Emma fell out with her father when he moved in with a Russian florist half his age just weeks after he was released from jail in the US, where he served six years for a £2million international fraud. He and others conned people into buying expensive shares with little or no value.
Martin was struck off the wedding guest list after an “almighty row” with Emma over the new relationship. The family source added: “There have been ructions – Emma isn’t happy with her dad.
“He’s not long out of jail but wasted no time starting afresh with someone new.
“Emma doesn’t want her dad turning up at her wedding with a woman none of the family has ever met.”
During the preparations, Emma was also told that her sister Katie’s partner, Alexander Williams, had been found dead. Katie had just given birth to the couple’s second child.
The couple are reported to have planned two celebrations – the wedding in Tuscany and another party for friends and relatives in their home city of Cardiff.
Her relative said: “The plans were well advanced. Emma had even had fittings for her two wedding dresses.
The couple had their first son, Axel Charles, in May. They also have two daughters, Alba Violet, five, and Nava Valentina, two. Bale is now in the US on a pre-season tour with Real Madrid.