Football superstar Gareth Bale calls OFF wedding to his childhood sweetheart

Footballer Gareth Bale has postponed his wedding to his childhood sweetheart blaming ‘family turmoil’.

The Real Madrid star and fiancée Emma Rhys-Jones reportedly planned a star-studded ceremony in a historic castle in Tuscany,Italy, and wanted Beyonce as their wedding singer.

But the pair have put off their big day until next summer after a ‘roller coaster’ year of joy and heartbreak.

Football superstar Gareth Bale has postponed his wedding to his childhood sweetheart blaming ‘family turmoil’ (pictured)

The Real Madrid star and fiancé Emma Rhys-Jones reportedly planned a star-studded ceremony in a historic castle in Tuscany, Italy, and wanted Beyonce as their wedding singer

The Real Madrid star and fiancé Emma Rhys-Jones reportedly planned a star-studded ceremony in a historic castle in Tuscany, Italy, and wanted Beyonce as their wedding singer

The Real Madrid star (left) and fiancé Emma Rhys-Jones reportedly planned a star-studded ceremony in a castle in Tuscany, Italy, and wanted Beyonce (right) as their wedding singer

A family source said Emma, 26, was secretly delighted by the postponement because it will give her time to get in shape after having the couple’s third baby.

Former hairdresser Emma also hopes the extra time will give her chance to heal a rift with her ex-jailbird dad Martin Rhys-Jones, 54.

Bale, the two-goal star of Real Madrid’s Champion’s League victory, is still unsure of his football future – with Manchester United favourites to sign him.

The couple also fear their big day could be tainted after Emma’s grandparents became unwittingly caught up in a violent drugs feud.

The loved-up couple, who met in school, planned home and away fixtures – a secret celebrity-ladened ceremony in Italy followed by a more homely affair for friends and relatives in the couple’s native Cardiff.

Her relative said: ‘The plans were well advanced – Emma had even had fittings for her two wedding dresses.

The Wales international, 28, and bride-to-be Emma Rhys-Jones, 26, are said to have set their hearts on tying the knot at the historic Vincigliata castle in Tuscany, where Theo Walcott - Gareth's former Southampton teammate - wed

The Wales international, 28, and bride-to-be Emma Rhys-Jones, 26, are said to have set their hearts on tying the knot at the historic Vincigliata castle in Tuscany, where Theo Walcott – Gareth’s former Southampton teammate – wed

During wedding planning Emma was told her sister's partner Alexander Williams (left with his partner and Emma's sister Katie) had been found dead

During wedding planning Emma was told her sister’s partner Alexander Williams (left with his partner and Emma’s sister Katie) had been found dead

‘But there’s so much family turmoil in their lives right now they want things to settle down before tying the knot.

‘They are still very much in love but they’ve had a lot of issues to deal with.’

During wedding planning Emma was told her sister’s partner Alexander Williams had been found dead. 

She flew home from Spain to comfort former model Katie, 24, who had just given birth to her second child with Mr Williams.

Emma also fell out with her dad after he moved in with a Russian florist half his age within weeks of being freed from jail in the US.

Rhys-Jones, the father of Gareth Bale’s fiancée Emma Rhys-Jones (pictured together), was ordered to pay back all £2.2 million he made from his dozens of British victims

Rhys-Jones, the father of Gareth Bale’s fiancée Emma Rhys-Jones (pictured together), was ordered to pay back all £2.2 million he made from his dozens of British victims

Father-of-five Rhys-Jones served six years for a £2million international fraud ripping off investors worldwide. 

They uninvited him from their wedding along with other family members who were involved in a missing suitcase containing £750,000 of drug money.

The family source said: ‘It’s been a rollercoaster for them over the last couple of years – especially Emma because it’s her flesh and blood.

‘Some of her closest relatives were told they would not be going to the wedding. But a lot can happen in a year and we all hope that everyone has kissed and made up by then.

‘Emma is quite happy because she felt she’d put on a few pounds after having the latest baby, although she still looks fab.’

The couple’s first son Axel Charles was born in May, a baby brother for sisters Alba Violet, five, and Nava Valentina, two.

Emma and the three children flew to the US to be with Gareth for his 29th birthday last week. He is in America on a pre-season tour with Real Madrid.



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