Anna Friel has found it "tough" to put her romantic fantasies aside and accept her long-term beau David Thewlis may never marry her.

Friel has been dating the Naked actor since 2001 and they have a four-year-old daughter, Gracie, together. The couple has always maintained marriage is not a priority for them, and the Pushing Daisies star admits she has found it hard to come to term with her partner's views on matrimony - as she has always dreamed of a big, white wedding.

Friel says, "From the beginning of my relationship with David, I promised myself I'd never try to change him. One of the issues I have had to be sensitive about is marriage - David's been married before and, to some extent, I think his experience has put him off. It's tough, because I have very clear romantic fantasies. Romance and marriage matter to me."

However, Friel has not given up hope that her lover will propose one day: "We do talk about it and he says getting married won't make any difference to us, but he also says he's not closed to the idea. I just have to be patient."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)