Phew! Bride turns up to marry Prince Albert
PRINCE Albert of Monaco yesterday finally married Charlene Wittstock – transforming the ex-Olympic swimmer into the new Princess of Monaco.
The £50million wedding came days after the Royal Palace in the ancient Mediterranean principality was forced to deny reports that the bride-to-be had tried to flee to her native South Africa as rumours raged that the playboy prince had a third illegitimate child.
Charlene, 33 – in a Chanel sky-blue jacket and dress – looked happy during the civil ceremony in the palace’s throne room. Afterwards she lovingly rested her head on the groom’s shoulder, who at 53 is 20 years her senior. Among the guests were Prince Edward and his wife Sophie.
Blonde beauty Charlene succeeds Hollywood star Grace Kelly who wed Albert’s father Prince Rainier III in 1956 and died in a car accident in 1982.