When Nick Nelson and bride-to-be Caroline Bowman set their wedding date for April 8, they never dreamed they would be sharing it with not one, but two high-profile couples - Charles and Camilla and Ken and Deirdre. But at least a Queen will be attending their wedding, as Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings reports.

IT WAS a text message from her step-dad which first alerted Caroline Bowman to the rather special person who would be sharing her wedding date. Charles, the future King of England, and his long-term love Camilla Parker Bowles planned to marry on April 8 - the same day that they were due to be married at Blackwell Grange in Darlington. But it was the next day when the texts and messages really started flowing.

"We got quite a lot of messages ribbing us about it," laughs Nick Nelson, 36, Caroline's fiance. "I can remember going into work having seen the (Daily Star) headline 'Sad Old Gits to Marry' and they all thought it was quite funny at work, they said 'yep, that's you'."

Like Charles and Camilla, it is not Nick and Caroline's first marriage, and they are looking forward to a low-key, intimate affair with just close friends and family.

The couple met at work when Caroline, 35, then a customer services worker for Morrison's North Road store, in Darlington, became friends with Nick, who worked as branch manager at the bank in-store.

"We were friends for about a year, to a year-and-a-half, and then it just developed from there," says Nick. "It was her sense of humour which attracted me to her and she was really easy to get on with." "I thought he was tall and handsome and a genuinely nice person," smiles Caroline.

Nick proposed at Ochis Caribbean and Mediterranean Restaurant in Darlington, but just as he had prised the ring from his pocket and was about to ask the big question, Caroline dashed off to the loo.

"When she came back and sat down, I started building myself up again," says Nick. "Then the waiter suddenly appeared asking if we wanted desserts and coffees. Finally, I just asked."

Fortunately, the waiting was worthwhile and a delighted Caroline said yes. Nick presented her with a beautiful tanzanite and diamond cluster ring and they set the date for Friday, April 8, 2005 - two years after they had got together.

Then, just after they had found out about Charles and Camilla, they heard of another high-profile wedding - that of Ken and Deirdre in Coronation Street. The couple say they're not avid fans of The Street - but joke that they might not see any guests at their reception until 8pm - after the programme has been aired.

But at least they will have the company of a Queen - unlike Charles and Camilla. Christine Queen is a good friend of Nick's from work. "At least we can say the Queen is coming to our wedding," he jokes.

Caroline's son Adam, ten, will be giving her away and Nick's daughter, Amanda, will be a bridesmaid, along with Caroline's best friend, Sharon. The other guests will be close friends and family.

"It's the kind of wedding we want - small and intimate and friendly," says Caroline. "We haven't got all the money and advisors that Charles and Camilla have," adds Nick. "But maybe that's just as well."