Legendary Russian actor Ivan Krasko married his 24-year-old fiancée Natalia Shevel, a former student of his, in a secret ceremony attended only by close friends and family yesterday in St Petersburg.

Despite criticism from many, the pair described their relationship in an interview with Russian media as a 'match made in heaven'.

They met while the father-of-six was teaching fine art at St Petersburg Institute of Liberal Education and Ms Shevel, one of his students, began writing him poetry which he said had made a 'huge impression' on him.

The actor, who has been married three times before toy younger wives, said: 'As a result of her words, I started to feel like a man in a way that I thought had long since vanished. But it was like being rebooted, and something which was missing returned.'

In the interview shortly before the ceremony the pair said they feel they cannot spend a single day apart and are living together in the actor's apartment in central Moscow.

Mr Krasko, who will turn 85 in two weeks, added that the relationship prior to their marriage remained platonic, but he now hopes they will have a family together as they 'both wanted children' and that there was a mutual attraction between them both.

The grandfather-of-three said: 'Naturally she has some worries about the future, but for me this is an exciting new time in my life.'

He said he had not yet met her family, although she had been introduced to his sons.

The actor proposed by getting down on one knee on the St Petersburg metro and presenting Ms Shevel with a diamond ring. 

The very next day the couple then went to register an application to become married.  

Mr Krasko added one of the first things his sons asked him was who was going to get the family's country estate, but he had assured them that nothing in his will would be changed.

When a journalist implied the marriage was simply a publicity stunt by the young woman to shortcut the usual career ladder by linking herself with a famous fiance, Mr Krasko rejected the idea.

He said that it was a fact that she was currently unemployed but added he would not be attempting to boost her career saying: 'An actor is always best off when they work on their name and by creating their brand on their own.'

The couple said they wanted a quiet wedding with and had only invited close relatives and friends.

(dailymail.co.uk)