Fresh rumours claim that royal Zara Phillips has chosen to have her wedding gown made by the Queen’s favourite couturier, Stewart Parvin.

The news ends weeks of speculation on the subject – up until now, Paul Costelloe was said to be the preferred choice to create Ms Phillips’ dress for her Edinburgh wedding. He has designed garments for her in the past, such as the outfit she wore to Prince William and Kate’s wedding.

An insider has said that the royal horse riding enthusiast is keen to avoid the same traditional lace and satin style that Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day: “Zara doesn’t want a high-fashion dress similar to Kate Middleton’s Sarah Burton design… But Stewart is the youngest Royal couturier, so the dress will still be modern and chic.”

Mr Parvin’s designs are already a favourite of both The Queen and Zara’s mother, Princess Anne. A fashion source said: “They wear his ensembles for Ascot and the Queen wore a white Stewart Parvin dress for Barack Obama’s state visit.”

The bridge-to-be is to marry her long-term partner Mike Tindall in a ceremony at Edinburgh’s Canongate Kirk on July 30, followed by a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.