Birmingham's own Victoria and Albert 鈥 the city council leader and his senior councillor partner 鈥 have tied the knot.
Labour leader Sir Albert Bore married fellow councillor Victoria Quinn at a ceremony at Highbury Hall, Joseph Chamberlain鈥檚 ancestral home in Moseley, on Monday August 4.
Guests jetted in from across Europe for the service and were joined by most of the council鈥檚 cabinet and two best men 鈥 his sons Omar and Firaz.
The couple have been together for more than eight years and Sir Albert admitted he could not explain why they had decided to marry now.
Speaking to the Post before the wedding, he said: 鈥淚t just felt the right thing to do.
鈥淚t adds a degree of comfort 鈥 there comes a time in the relationship when it feels like the right thing. I am just treating it as a family and friends affair. I want it to be a family-type occasion.
鈥淪ometimes you have to close the door and have a private life with friends and family, and not the wider public.鈥
Sir Albert, 68, who represents Ladywood and joined the council in 1980, declined to have a stag night.
He met the Sparkbrook councillor in Brussels in 2002 as he attended the Committee of the Regions 鈥 an EU advisory body representing local and regional authorities.
Sir Albert admitted his council duties often made it difficult for the couple to spend time together.
鈥淢y lifestyle is very different to a normal one,鈥 he said.
鈥淚f I were to stick to nine to five, it would not work for me.
鈥淚 do 12 hours a day, five days a week, plus stuff at weekends.鈥
