Ruth Davidson: I wanted to marry my partner '˜after three dates'

Ruth Davidson has revealed she'll wear a 'cowl-neck, sort of sheath dress' for her wedding as she talked of her desire for a private ceremony and her wish for children in the near future.

By The Newsroom Friday, 2nd February 2018, 7:13 pm Updated Friday, 2nd February 2018, 7:21 pm

In an interview with Vogue magazine, the Scottish Conservative leader spoke of the security she has found with her fiancee Jen Wilson saying she was “lost” in her early 20s as she struggled to reconcile her sexuality with her presbyterian faith.

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Ms Davidson said her romance with Ms Wilson had been a whirlwind one, claiming she had made up her mind to marry her after just three dates.

Scottish Conservatives leader, Ruth Davidson has spoken of her desire to have children with her fiancee in an interview with Vogue. Picture: Getty

They began seeing each other in the 2014 independence referendum campaign. Ms Davidson had been taking part in a hustings debate in the south of Scotland where the BBC had only arranged for one taxi to take home the participants.

During the post hustings drinks, she told her colleagues that she really had to go. “I’m seeing a girl tonight,” she explained.

The Tory leader elaborated. “The others were in no hurry. I was like ‘no, you don’t understand. I’m going to marry this girl’. And it was our third date.”

She added: “I sort of surprised myself. I’m so not that person who says that.”

Scottish Conservatives leader, Ruth Davidson has spoken of her desire to have children with her fiancee in an interview with Vogue. Picture: Getty

Looking ahead to their wedding, Ms Davidson said she had been overwhelmed by the idea of the marriage ceremony when the pair became engaged in 2016.

Now she wants a low key affair. “It’s not going to be a public wedding, it’s just for us,” the Tory leader said.

A glance at a wedding magazine with its traditional brides in white and men in morning suits had been “terrifying” and had resulted in them not discussing the ceremony for three months.

After proposing to Ms Wilson, an Irish marketing assistant, they bought the magazine – a move which ultimately led to them deciding they wanted a smallish ceremony where the playlist is more important than the outfits.

“It literally frightened us so much we put it away and didn’t talk for three months about what we wanted to do,” Davidson said. “It was terrifying! It was very traditional, men in morning suits and women in long white gowns and that’s really not what we’re going for.”

Instead of bridesmaids, she and her fiancee intend to ask their sisters to be best women. They won’t be asked to wear white.

As for her own outfit, Ms Davidson said: “I’ve got an idea in my head of a sort of cowl-neck, sort of sheath dress. But you know I’m not 25, I’m 40 this year and honestly I care more about the playlist than I do the dress.”

According to the glossy magazine, Ms Davidson described her early 20s as “lost” before she came out as a lesbian.

These days the support she receives from Ms Wilson has made her more comfortable and also think of children.

“She just makes everything easier and better. And also, she helped me sleep,” she said. “She’s also really funny and really laid back. She will kick the knees out from under me if I’m being at all poncy which is what I desperately need.”