WINDSOR, England (AFP) - Queen Elizabeth II's eldest grandson, Peter Phillips, on Saturday married his Canadian fiancee, Autumn Kelly, at a ceremony in front of senior royals, family and friends.

The couple, both 30, tied the knot at Saint George's Chapel at the 82-year-old monarch's favourite Windsor Castle residence west of London before attending a reception and dance at another nearby royal venue.

Phillips, who works in motor racing sponsorship, is the son of the queen's daughter Princess Anne and is 11th in line to the throne.

He stood to lose his right to become king because his bride-to-be was a Roman Catholic. British succession laws dating from 1701 bar anyone who marries a Catholic from becoming the monarch.

But Kelly, a personal assistant from Montreal, recently converted to the Church of England, of which the queen is supreme governor, allowing the groom to retain his position in the line of succession.

The couple met in 2003 at the Montreal Grand Prix where they were both working and he proposed last July during a rain shower as they walked their dog. Bad weather scuppered his plan to pop the question in a hot air balloon.

The queen, her husband Prince Philip, Princess Anne, her ex-husband Mark Phillips, heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and his second wife Camilla were among the 300 guests at the historic chapel.

Some 70 came from Canada, where the queen is also head of state, to see Kelly, in a veiled, lace-backed ivory gown by London designer Sassi Holford, walk down the aisle and be given away by her father, Brian.

One notable absentee though was second-in-line to the throne Prince William. He was reported to be in Kenya at another wedding of the brother of a close friend.

The 25-year-old, who has recently completed basic flight training with the Royal Air Force, sparked criticism last month when it emerged that he flew a RAF Chinook helicopter to Phillips' stag (bachelor) party.

He was represented Saturday by his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, 26.

William's younger brother, Harry, 23, was also present with his girlfriend, South African heiress Chelsy Davy, 22, who is said to be meeting the queen for the first time.

Both women's presence has stoked speculation about their acceptance into royal circles and led to predictions in the British press other possible royal nuptials.

But Phillips' sister 27-year-old Zara, the world eventing champion, and her boyfriend, the Gloucester and England rugby union centre Mike Tindall, were judged likely to tie the knot sooner.

She seemed to drop Tindall a strong hint in a recent magazine interview with GQ Sport when asked if she would end speculation surrounding a possible marriage.

"Well, he hasn't asked yet," said Zara, who was one of the eight bridesmaids Saturday. "I'm old fashioned. I think they should ask you.

"Everyone at the rugby club seems to be getting married and having babies so they keep asking me, 'What about you?'."

LIKE IT?  LET OTHERS KNOW