Daughter's illness spurs Johnny Depp to finally marry Vanessa Paradis

The couple have toyed with the idea in the past but their daughter Lily-Rose's recent illness has 'spurred them into action', according to a source.

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Actor Johnny Depp with long-term partner Vanessa Paradis: The couple are set to marry after being 'spurred into action' after the illness of daughter Lily Rose

The couple's seven-year-old was hospitalized in London for nine days in March suffering from E.coli food poisoning and her condition was touch and go.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star and Vanessa, 34, kept a vigil at their daughter's bedside. Depp, 43, refused to return to the set of his latest film Sweeney Todd in London until she was out of danger, forcing filming to be stopped.

The source, who lives in the village, said: 'Johnny and Vanessa have one of the strongest relationships in Hollywood but after their daughter was taken ill the family became an even closer-knit unit.

'They have talked about marriage on and off for a long time but the recent emotional roller-coaster they have had to endure seems to have spurred them into action.

The couple, who have been together for eight years and have two children, are understood to be planning a discreet ceremony in the south of France where they live.

However locals will be disappointed if they expect to catch a glimpse of the newly weds.

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in the film Pirates of the Caribbean

Rather than marry in the local church, L'eglise St Martin, the couple are expected to hold the ceremony in the ancient chapel within the 50-acre grounds of their idyllic rural hideaway in the tiny village of Plan de la Tour, an hour from St Tropez.

The source said: 'We understand they will marry this summer. Villagers thought they would wed in the church here but we now hear that they have a little chapel in the grounds of their home.

'It would make sense they would celebrate there because they don't like drawing attention to themselves. The whole reason they live here is because they like the quiet life.'

The couple's two children, Lily-Rose and Jack, four, will attend along with just a clutch of friends.

The couple have been living mainly in Richmond, Surrey this year while Depp fulfils his filming commitments but they make frequent trips to their palatial French villa.

Local taxi driver Jean-Philippe Reno, 44, said: 'They are a very private couple. We often see them out and about in the village but no one would dream of hassling them. That's the reason Johnny likes it here so much.

'There's no paparazzi. He can just be a normal person. It's no surprise that they want to celebrate in the privacy of their home.'

According to French law, the couple must obtain legal consent from the mayor to marry.

Once the formalities are over couples are then free to have a religious ceremony.

A spokeswoman for Plan de la Tour's mayor, Florence Lanliard, refused to comment on the rumour.

She said: 'We never discuss personal issues. We will not make any comment about Johnny Depp or Vanessa Paradis.'

With a population of 2000, it is easy to see why camera-shy Depp loves Plan de la Tour.

If they are at home, without fail they will drive in their black Chrysler Voyager to the Thursday outdoor market where they select their fruit and vegetables and even buy clothes from the bargain racks.

At the market last week locals gossiped about the village playing host to the wedding of one of Hollywood's hottest stars.

Stephanie, who is in her 40s, said: 'The villagers couldn't be happier for them. But the truth of the matter is, they are such a private family we probably won't know they have married until after the event. There don't court attention. They love it here because they can blend in and just be a normal family.'

Depp bought his French villa seven years ago from a German family for £750,000. Dotted around the vast grounds are five other houses, occupied the housekeeper, gardener and security. The tiny chapel is behind the house on the edge of the vineyards.

There is no give-away that this is the residence of one of Hollywood's greatest actors. Even the security cameras are out of sight, hidden in the trees. But step inside the house and there would be no mistaking.

It has every modern luxury. The master bedroom even has its own swimming pool. A second, much larger pool is located in the garden alongside the vegetable and herb patch.

They have four ponies for the children and a playground with swings, a slide and a sandpit. Depp fell in love with France while shooting The Ninth Gate there in 1998.

Although Depp is not fluent in French he happily converses with the locals, few of whom speak a single word of English. Lily Rose, who is bilingual, has been heard many times correcting her father.

The actor has cited his children as a primary reason for his flight to France, saying he wanted them to 'grow up in a very simple and calm environment, where everything is not about the next movie or the next success'.

The doting dad added: "I love the simple things: the sunrise, the trees, the countryside. I can take a ride into the village and have a coffee with my girl, and people say: "Hello Johnny. How are you?" I'm not looking around for the paparazzi.'