Monaco's Prince Albert marries in royal pomp

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MONACO: Monaco's sovereign ruler Prince Albert wed South African Charlene Wittstock on Saturday in an opulent ceremony attended by European royalty and the international elite, fanning hopes for a new era of glamour.

The 53-year-old married Wittstock, 33, in the courtyard of his palace at the foot of a marble double staircase lined with white flowers.

The long-awaited nuptials are the first of a ruling prince in Monaco since the prince's father, Prince Rainier III, married the Hollywood star Grace Kelly in 1956, and comes two months after Britain's wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton.

Albert winked at his bride, who smiled shyly, as they sat on red velvet chairs holding hands, while the voice of a South African singer filled the courtyard.

The long white train of Wittstock's Giorgio Armani duchess satin gown encrusted with thousands of tiny crystals flowed over the red carpet. The groom wore the white dress uniform of Monaco's Carabinieri royal guard.

Albert's sisters Princesses Caroline and Stephanie, both dressed in pink, smiled as they watched the couple wed in front of a crowd including French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, Armani and opera singer Renee Fleming.

Gathered to witness the event was a who's-who of Europe's royal families: Albert, King of Belgium, Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Felipe and Letizia of Spain among others.

Another 3,500 attendees sat outside to watch the festivities on giant TV screens.

The couple married in a civil ceremony in the palace throne room on Friday.

The wedding puts a spotlight on the tiny principality built around images of luxury and its ancient House of Grimaldi whose family members have ruled since 1297.

One royal fan travelled from the Netherlands to cheer and thousands of well-wishers are expected to flood the city state surrounded on three sides by France.

"We have followed the whole history, the life of the principality of Monaco," said Meina Meyes. "We really feel like part of the family because we know everything about them."

After the ceremony, Her Serene Highness will lay her bouquet at a nearby chapel, just as Princess Grace once did. A wedding dinner prepared by chef Alain Ducasse and royal ball awaits at the Monte Carlo opera, followed by fireworks.

Home to the Monte Carlo Grand Prix race car, Monaco is still considered a playground of the very rich: residents pay no income or property tax, and yachts crowd the port.

But tragedy and scandal, including admissions from Albert that he fathered two illegitimate children, have chipped away at its mystique over the years.

Just days ago, rumours of discontent threatened to mar the festivities. The palace strongly denied a report in French weekly L'Express that Wittstock tried to skip town on a one-way flight to South Africa and that it took "infinite persuasion" by the prince and his entourage to change her mind.