Keira Knightley says ‘Oui’ in south of France

AVIGNON, France: British actress Keira Knightley married singer James Righton in a discreet ceremony in the southern French village of Mazan on Saturday, according to the mayor.

Her husband is part of the band The Klaxons.

Mayor Aime Navello told AFP the small civil ceremony was attended by “about 15 people”, mostly family and the groom’s Klaxons bandmates.

The parents of the 28-year-old actress, known for her role in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, own a GBP3 million house in Mazan, a town of about 5,000 people near the medieval town of Avignon in Provence.

Knightley is also known for her roles in “Love Actually” (2003), “Pride and Prejudice” (2005), “The Duchess” (2008) and “Anna Karenina” (2012).

The UK’s Daily Mail reports “she skipped into the ceremony with girlish excitement, wearing daisies in her hair”.

The actress is the face of French fashion label Chanel, and wore one of their boucle jackets to the ceremony, over an above-the-knee strapless tulle dress and with ballet pumps on her feet.

Righton wore a navy blue suit and light blue tie. The couple both wore sunglasses.

Speaking after the service, Navello, a retired headmaster, told how the couple became man and wife after saying a simple ‘Oui’ instead of the traditional ‘I do’.

‘We had a translator as I read out the marriage act in French,’ he said. ‘As is customary, I asked Keira first if she would accept James. We had wondered whether they might reply “I do” like the English.

‘In fact, as we posed the question in both French and English, they both replied with a “Oui” and a “Yes”.’

But Navello admitted he had never heard of the bride - a global star and household name who has built up a GBP30million fortune. He added: ‘The first I heard of the marriage was a couple of days ago when someone in my town hall who knew Keira took a message which asked for complete secrecy. I kept my word and didn’t even inform any of my 27 town councillors.

‘Normally I know most of the couples I marry. Many of them are children I used to teach, but I haven’t heard of Keira, nor for that matter James.

‘Keira was a charming bride, very modest and simple in her attitude, as was James. I got the impression that it was a very moving experience for both of them.’

Just after midday the newlyweds emerged into sunshine as man and wife where they were greeted by a small group of guests and cheers from well-wishers.

‘It was a very moving ceremony,’ said one. ‘Keira looked extremely moved by the whole thing - there were certainly tears of happiness. There were cheers of “Well done, Keira” when she came out, but there were so few people present so they didn’t make much noise.’

The couple were then driven back to the Knightley family farmhouse to continue the celebrations at a reception for 50 guests, including actress Sienna Miller and Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld.