Prince William's Italian wedding shirt

Britain's Prince William will have his wedding shirt made by an Italian tailor.

The 28-year-old prince has reportedly chosen little-known designer Angelo Inglese to make the garment for his marriage to Kate Middleton on April 29, after he received a shirt as a gift from a pal who had visited the family business G Inglese while on holiday in Puglia, southern Italy.

Mr. Inglese - whose high-profile clients include David Beckham and the Japanese prime minister - claims the shirt will make the prince "look thinner".

He told Italian news site Affaritaliani: "It all started with his close friends who spend their summer holidays in Puglia. They are my customers and they gave my shirts to Prince William as a gift and then he asked me to design him a shirt for his wedding. He got the event manager to call me.

"The shirt is classic but innovative and youthful at the same time."

The tailor added it would be fitted, with a high wing collar, "that will make William look thinner" while the shirt's buttons will all be hidden except for one special and valuable button.

The buttonholes will be stitched with thread from Scotland, while the shirt's material will be made from poplin, which he said was "named after the Popes who used it for their elegant long gowns".

A spokeswoman for Clarence House said that no details of the prince or Kate's outfits would be known until their big day.