Dua Lipa and Callum Turner wedding divides Palermo: ‘I could understand if it was for the pope’

Police officers stand outside Palazzo Valguarnera-Gangi in Piazza Croce dei Vesprias in Palermo as staff prepare for the couple’s wedding celebrations. Photograph: Alessandro Fucarini/AFP/Getty View image in fullscreen Police officers stand outside Palazzo Valguarnera-Gangi in Piazza Croce dei Vesprias in Palermo as staff prepare for the couple’s wedding celebrations. Photograph: Alessandro Fucarini/AFP/Getty Dua Lipa and Callum Turner wedding divides Palermo: ‘I could understand if it was for the pope’ While some residents are proud to host celebrations, others lament road closures and city’s transformation into a ‘theme park’ C oncetta Chillemi was chatting to friends outside her shop next to Palermo’s gallery for modern art housed in a sublime baroque church in the city’s historic centre. A few metres away, an Italian TV crew had its camera trained on the tiny square in front of the church where event staff in black T-shirts scurried around in the heat. They were preparing for the arrival of the British singer Dua Lipa and the actor Callum Turner, who over the next two days are celebrating their wedding in the Sicilian capital after exchanging vows in London last weekend. View image in fullscreen Dua Lipa and Callum Turner walk near the restaurant at Villa Igiea, where the first guests are gathering ahead of the wedding celebrations. Photograph: Igor Petyx/Reuters Dua Lipa is one of the world’s biggest pop stars, but Chillemi admits she didn’t know who she was until last summer, when the couple holidayed in Palermo soon after their engagement and shared photos on Instagram , including one taken during an aperitivo at a nearby bar. The return of the bridal suit: will Dua Lipa’s look change the face of weddings? Read more Curious about all the fuss, Chillemi said she had familiarised herself with Dua Lipa’s music. “I got together with some of the other shop owners here and we listened to a few songs,” she said with a nonplussed shrug. Late on Friday afternoon, the newlyweds are expected to be given a private tour of the Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Palermo , whose collection includes more than 200 19th- and 20th-century masterpieces, before joining their guests in the cordoned-off square. The details are closely guarded and everyone involved is tight-lipped owing to strict confidentiality agreements, but a council worker hinted that a sort-of “buffet” would be laid on – and perhaps Elton John will play the piano. View image in fullscreen The Galleria d’Arte Moderna, one of the venues which will host the wedding celebrations. Photograph: Alessandro Fucarini/AFP/Getty The couple arrived in Palermo by private jet on Thursday night. They are staying at Villa Igiea , a five-star art nouveau hotel where an entire floor of suites has been booked to host guests who, alongside Elton John, reportedly include Kylie Minogue, Donatella Versace, Harry Styles, Charli xcx – another British pop star who tied the knot in Sicily last September – and possibly Robbie