Britain’s highest-ranking transgender soldier has married actor Jake Graf – who was born a woman – in a fairytale wedding.
Captain Hannah Winterbourne, 31, spent her first years in the Army as a man before she spoke to The Sun about her decision to transition while still on active duty.
Her picture on the front-page story in January 2015 caught the eye of Jake Graf, 40, who told a mutual friend that he thought she looked cute – before the pair starting talking.
Captain Hannah Winterbourne (right) has married actor Jake Graf (right) – who was born a woman. Pictured, the pair after getting engaged in New York’s Central Park
Although Captain Winterbourne said she was ‘terrified’ before their first date on London’s South Bank, the fact that Mr Graf was also transgender made things a lot easier.
Their relationship flourished and in September, the pair got engaged when Mr Graf – who was in 2015 film The Danish Girl alongside Eddie Redmayne – proposed in New York’s Central Park.
On Friday, Captain Winterbourne wore a strapless gown to wed her groom in a ceremony at Chelsea Town Hall that she described to The Sun as ‘like a Disney movie.’
‘We’re just like any other bride and groom,’ the newlyweds told the newspaper.
Captain Winterbourne (pictured with Mr Graf) said she was ‘terrified’ before their first date
Captain Winterbourne said the fact that Mr Graf was also transgender made things a lot easier
Captain Winterbourne (left, before, and right, after her transition) spent her first years in the Army as a man before she spoke about her decision to transition while still on active duty
Captain Winterbourne added: ‘To me, I’m just another girl married to another guy.
‘As you transition and meet someone new, you kind of forget about your past.’
Mr Graf has spoken about how he’d pray every night that he would ‘wake up a boy’ and said it had made him very angry.
He said it was only after he met a transgender man when visiting New York at the age of 25 that he felt hopeful.
The newlywed couple, who are both patrons of the transgender children’s charity Mermaids, will live together in the married quarters near Captain Winterbourne’s Army barracks.
They’re keen to start a family together soon now that they’ve tied the knot.
Jake Graf (pictured before his transition) said he went through hell when he was a child