Sir Chris Bonington: 'we are very much in love'

Mountaineering legend Sir Chris Bonington has tied the knot with a long-time friend.

The Everest summiteer married Loreto McNaught-Davis in a ceremony in London on Saturday.

Ms McNaught-Davis is the widow of mountaineer and television presenter Ian McNaught-Davis, who died in February 2014. Sir Chris, 81, lost his wife Wendy to motor neurone disease later that year.

He has known Ms McNaught-Davis for more than 50 years. Sir Chris swapped his customary Berghaus Gore-Tex jacket for a burgundy velvet Nehru-style suit for the ceremony, which took place in the presence of about 60 friends and family members, including Sir Chris’s son Rupert.

Mr Bonington told the News & Star newspaper: “They are quite love-struck.

“It is so nice to think that when you get to that age, that you still have such feelings.”

Sir Chris told the newspaper: “It is a commitment. We both felt that we really do want to get married.

“We have known each other as spouses of close friends since 1961.

“Sadly, Mac died a few months before Wendy and we came together and a real, warm love blossomed.

“We are both very much in love.”

The couple will honeymoon in the South of France.