MEXICO CITY: A 19-year-old Mexican woman who fasted for 16 days in a bid for an invitation to the royal wedding of Prince William has finally been granted her wish.

Estibalis Chavez will be flown to London for the April 29 nuptials thanks to an anonymous benefactor, according to the Mexico daily, Milenio.

Chavez camped out in front of the British Embassy in Mexico City in February, refusing to eat, although officials at the embassy had told her she was fasting in vain.

Chavez lost 17 pounds (eight kilos) during her fast, and painted a portrait of Prince William and Kate Middleton, which the embassy also refused to deliver.

"I've been a fan of Lady Di since I was little and my mother's a fan as well," said Chavez. "And I promised myself I would go to a royal wedding," she told during her fast. (AFP)

BUCHAREST: Romanian jeweller Ovidiu Paraianu has created two special rings and an ornamental key which he hopes to give to the Queen, her grandson Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton on the occasion of the prince's wedding.


Paraianu, a former coal miner from western Romania, has already created jewels for French first lady Carla Bruni as well as royalty in Spain and Saudi Arabia and told Reuters on Friday he would like to give his gifts to the royals personally.

The gold rings -- one for the queen and one for Kate -- are studded with diamonds and rubies and feature miniature maps of Great Britain. The key, which can be used a tie clip or as a brooch, is embossed with the initials K and W.

Paraianu declined to provide a value for the jewellery.

"They are presents, not anything else," he said. "The value is symbolic." (Reuters)