By . Alasdair Glennie . PUBLISHED: . 15:20 EST, 3 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:14 EST, 4 June 2012 . It is a romantic plotline fit for one of his own novels. War Horse author Michael Morpurgo has proposed to his wife Clare for the second time - nearly 50 years after their original hurried wedding. Having found both fame and fortune since the ‘miserable’ ceremony in 1963, the 68-year-old now plans to give his wife Clare the stylish white wedding she has always craved. Speaking at the Hay Festival in Powys, Wales, he said: ‘I think it will be rather lovely. When we married before, it was in a register office and I just don’t think they feel quite right. Romance: Michael Morpurgo plans to give his wife Clare the stylish white wedding she always wanted . ‘It is tradition - you are making this promise and it’s a kind of deal, but I don’t think it should be just a civil deal. It should be more than that.’ The devoted pair were forced to marry in secret after Mrs Morpurgo discovered she was pregnant with their first child Sebastian, aged just 20. When he met his future wife on a holiday in Corfu in 1962, Morpurgo was an officer-cadet at Sandhurst military academy. His prospects seemed so dim, her father Sir Allen Lane - the multi-millionaire founder of Penguin books - believed he was a gold-digger. Suspicious of his future son-in-law, Sir Allen sent samples of his handwriting to a graphologist to reveal his true character. However the report stated he was ‘a very intelligent, kind and sympathetic man of high moral principles.’ Nearly half a century later, Morpurgo has made his own fortune, writing more than 80 books for children and selling more than a million copies of his best-loved work, War Horse. Telling the tragic story of a horse and his owner in the First World War, the book has since been turned into a sell-out West End theatre production and a Hollywood blockbuster directed by Steven Spielberg. Unsuitable: Mr Morpurgo's father-in-law thought he was a gold-digger. He has since sold more than a million copies of War Horse, which has been made into a West End play and a Hollywood movie . The Morpurgos went on to have two more children, Horatio and Rosalind, and run a charity from their farm in Devon. They plan to re-marry in a church on their 50th wedding anniversary next June. Remembering their first ‘low-key’ wedding - attended only by their parents - Mrs Morpurgo, 69, said: ‘It was a very small wedding, very low-key and a bit miserable. ‘Ever since then, Michael has always felt he didn’t do the business. So for our 50th anniversary, he’s got this idea. ‘The trouble is that I’m not too religious and Michael is, but the idea is to find a really nice church and vicar and marry properly. ‘We will be saying vows for the first time, I suppose, because we didn’t really have vows in the register office.’ Mrs Morpurgo added she planned to wear a vintage dress for her second ceremony. She said: ‘I have no idea what I’ll wear but it won’t be a huge meringue. ‘I’ll wear something recycled and comfortable. I’ve actually still got the blouse I wore that day in 1963, although the lace has fallen off a bit so I don’t think I could still wear it.’
Michael Morpurgo and his wife were forced to marry in 1963 after discovering that Clare was pregnant .
Mr Morpurgo's father-in-law snubbed him thinking he was a gold-digger .
The War Horse author has now sold more than a million copies of his best selling work .
By . Alasdair Glennie . PUBLISHED: . 15:20 EST, 3 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:14 EST, 4 June 2012 . It is a romantic plotline fit for one of his own novels. War Horse author Michael Morpurgo has proposed to his wife Clare for the second time - nearly 50 years after their original hurried wedding. Having found both fame and fortune since the ‘miserable’ ceremony in 1963, the 68-year-old now plans to give his wife Clare the stylish white wedding she has always craved. Speaking at the Hay Festival in Powys, Wales, he said: ‘I think it will be rather lovely. When we married before, it was in a register office and I just don’t think they feel quite right. Romance: Michael Morpurgo plans to give his wife Clare the stylish white wedding she always wanted . ‘It is tradition - you are making this promise and it’s a kind of deal, but I don’t think it should be just a civil deal. It should be more than that.’ The devoted pair were forced to marry in secret after Mrs Morpurgo discovered she was pregnant with their first child Sebastian, aged just 20. When he met his future wife on a holiday in Corfu in 1962, Morpurgo was an officer-cadet at Sandhurst military academy. His prospects seemed so dim, her father Sir Allen Lane - the multi-millionaire founder of Penguin books - believed he was a gold-digger. Suspicious of his future son-in-law, Sir Allen sent samples of his handwriting to a graphologist to reveal his true character. However the report stated he was ‘a very intelligent, kind and sympathetic man of high moral principles.’ Nearly half a century later, Morpurgo has made his own fortune, writing more than 80 books for children and selling more than a million copies of his best-loved work, War Horse. Telling the tragic story of a horse and his owner in the First World War, the book has since been turned into a sell-out West End theatre production and a Hollywood blockbuster directed by Steven Spielberg. Unsuitable: Mr Morpurgo's father-in-law thought he was a gold-digger. He has since sold more than a million copies of War Horse, which has been made into a West End play and a Hollywood movie . The Morpurgos went on to have two more children, Horatio and Rosalind, and run a charity from their farm in Devon. They plan to re-marry in a church on their 50th wedding anniversary next June. Remembering their first ‘low-key’ wedding - attended only by their parents - Mrs Morpurgo, 69, said: ‘It was a very small wedding, very low-key and a bit miserable. ‘Ever since then, Michael has always felt he didn’t do the business. So for our 50th anniversary, he’s got this idea. ‘The trouble is that I’m not too religious and Michael is, but the idea is to find a really nice church and vicar and marry properly. ‘We will be saying vows for the first time, I suppose, because we didn’t really have vows in the register office.’ Mrs Morpurgo added she planned to wear a vintage dress for her second ceremony. She said: ‘I have no idea what I’ll wear but it won’t be a huge meringue. ‘I’ll wear something recycled and comfortable. I’ve actually still got the blouse I wore that day in 1963, although the lace has fallen off a bit so I don’t think I could still wear it.’
own novels. War Horse author Michael Morpurgo has The devoted pair were forced to marry in secret than a million copies of his best-loved work, War Morpurgo's father-in-law thought he was a gold-digger. He has since sold more than a