Wildlife wedding for former London mayor Ken Livingstone when he marries long-term love next to reptiles enclosure at zoo

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 09:16 EST, 21 August 2009

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Ken Livingstone today revealed the location for his wedding to his long-term partner Emma Beal - London Zoo.

The capital's former mayor will exchange vows next month in the zoo's Mappin Pavilion, surrounded by wallabies and emus.

The pavilion is next to the reptile house - Mr Livingstone's fondness for reptiles and newts led to him being called King Newt by mayoral rival Boris Johnson.

Ken Livingstone and his partner Emma Beal

Look of love: Ken Livingstone will wed his partner Emma Beal at London Zoo

The unusual location will bring back memories of the couple's first foreign holiday, in Australia in 2002.

Mr Livingstone, who has a pet chameleon for his two youngest children, confirmed that he had booked the zoo.

'We are getting married and it will be in London Zoo,' he said. 'It's not a media event - if you try and get in I will set the gorillas on you.

'We have been looking to get married for years. We decided to do it when we had time, and this seems to be the ideal period.'

Komodo dragon

Witness: Mr Livingstone will marry next to the reptiles enclosure, so this Komodo dragon may have the best seat in the house

The 64-year-old, whose first job application - unsuccessful - was to become a zookeeper, was revealed last year to be the father of five children. Previously, only his two children with Ms Beal, 41, - Thomas, six, and Mia, five - were known about.

The existence of the three children he had with two other women - a son now aged about 17 and two younger teenage girls - emerged during last year's mayoral elections, which he lost to Mr Johnson.

Mr Livingstone said: 'Given you have lots of young kids running around, a wedding can be quite boring for young kids. But they can go and look at the animal.

'I know the place - I just like it.'

A newt

Mr Livingstone's fondness for reptiles and newts led to him being called King Newt by mayoral rival Boris Johnson