A VALLEY couple who are set to tie the knot on the same day as Prince William and Kate Middleton have received a letter from Buckingham Palace.

James Taylor, 33 and his bride-to-be Katherine Livesey, 24 received the royal seal of approval after a family member wrote to the palace telling them they would be sharing the special day.

Katherine, a neonatal nurse at Burnley General Hospital, has been planning her fairytale day for the last eight months.

She said: “I was really shocked when I read the letter. I had no idea my mum had written to them so you can imagine my surprise.

“My mum had told Prince William that we will also be missing important people on our special day, like he will be missing Princess Diana.

"His response was lovely. He says he will be thinking about us and that he wished us luck and our kind thoughts meant a lot.”

The couple who live together in Ramsey Avenue, Bacup, are getting married at 1pm on April 29 at the Red Hall Hotel in Ramsbottom.

And they will have a special moment to remember those who can’t be with them like James’ twin brother David and Katherine’s grandad William.

James, a company director at Chem-Dry East Lancashire, lost his brother in 2003.

The couple who have been together for four years said they were pleased to be sharing their wedding day with royalty.

Katherine said: “I was really shocked at first but there wasn’t much we could about it.

“I am really excited now and there is always the added bonus that our guests won’t forget our anniversary in a hurry.”