IT'S A marriage that's surely vying for the title of Wedding of the Year.

When Madonna and Guy Ritchie plight their troth in Scotland at the end of the week, the American singer will, in a sense, become "one of us".

The media frenzy surrounding the sumptuous event at Skibo Castle means the Highland heather is already positively crawling with wind-blown journalists.

But, in wedding her Prize Guy, the Queen of Pop is also embracing an example of that most quintessential of English traditions - the naughty public schoolboy.

Guy spent three years as a pupil at the exclusive Stanbridge Earls School, in Romsey, an independent boarding school with 190 pupils, costing around £14,000 per year.

Patrons include actor Donald Sinden. The privileged students pass their days in a house which dates back to medieval times, set in around 40 acres of beautiful grounds. But Guy's three years there between 1981 and 1984 are not remembered as a glittering record of exemplary behaviour - in fact quite the reverse.

Present headmaster Howard Moxon told the Echo the charming yet wayward pupil was actually asked not to return after sitting his O-levels.

The 32-year-old film director, whose hit flicks include Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, passed in only one subject - Art, with a grade A.

"It was thought to be in everybody's best interest for Guy not to return to the sixth form - but he wasn't expelled," said Mr Moxon.

"He was a character.

"The trouble was a whole series of misdemeanours that had started to weigh heavily on the then head.

"He was out of the dormitory when he shouldn't have been dozens of times.

"We were worn down by the weight of Guy's indiscretions. He was always pulling others into trouble.

"But all the reports speak of his charm."

Smooth talker Guy swept Madonna off her feet after they met at a dinner party given by Sting's wife Trudie Styler in 1998.

Yesterday the pair flew into Inverness to prepare for the ceremony at the castle near the town of Dornoch, Sutherland.

Their wedding will be conducted by Dornoch Cathedral's minister the Rev Susan Brown.

She is expected to present the couple with a twin pack of toilet rolls, which she said are "long and strong" as she hopes the marriage will be.