Charlene ‘complete’s Monaco’s image’

Monaco's Prince Albert II invited the entire population of his tiny realm to toast his marriage and their new princess as the Mediterranean tax haven looked forward to a glamorous new era.

Monaco's Prince Albert II invited the entire population of his tiny realm to toast his marriage and their new princess as the Mediterranean tax haven looked forward to a glamorous new era.

Published Jul 1, 2011

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Monaco's Prince Albert II invited the entire population of his tiny realm to toast his marriage and their new princess on Friday as the Mediterranean tax haven looked forward to a glamorous new era.

The princely enclave declared two days of national holiday as Albert prepared to marry South African swimming champion Charlene Wittstock, hoping his romance would help him win back the hearts of his people too.

The 53-year-old playboy's lengthy bachelorhood had begun to try the patience of the 7,810 Monegasque subjects living crammed in a tight hillside warren of concrete tower blocks alongside tens of thousands more foreign tax exiles.

Now he has presented them with a princess that looks the part - a statuesque blonde - and locals hope the couple will now renew the royal house and ensure an orderly succession by producing a legitimate heir.

Monaco's privileged status as an independent principality that sets its own low tax rates and regulates its own financial services depends on it having a prince, and Albert's Grimaldi clan has ruled since the 13th century.

Now the local elite hopes the wedding, and the accompanying feast days, will give the Grimaldi image a boost, just as the year's previous royal wedding in London gave the British monarchy a much-needed shot in the arm.

“This marriage will complete the image of the principality, allow the wider public to see beyond the cliches,” Monaco tourism chief Michel Bouquier told reporters. “We are going to astonish, and astonish by giving pleasure.

“Yes, Monaco is glamour, luxury, the exceptional - it's in our DNA -but this will help round out our image,” he promised.

Certainly, no expense has been spared.

At 6:30 pm (1630 GMT), shortly after the 40 minute civil ceremony, the bells of the chapel dedicated to Monaco's patron saint Sainte Devote will ring out.

The couple has sent individual invitations to every adult citizen of the country - some 7,810 people - to come to a reception at the palace.

Then, later in the evening the crowd will head to a bigger area by the port for a braai, a traditional South African barbecue, and drinks with thousands of the wealthy foreign residents who live in the principality.

“Champagne is our national drink here,” Bouquier joked.

A pink beer brewed with cranberries has been produced by Monaco's own small brewery, and entertainment will be provided by sexagenarian electropop pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre and a massive waterfront sound and light show.

Bouquier said the wedding budget had been doubled to eight million euros, but the principality hopes to generate much more in tourist revenue and has laid on extra trains from France - as many as for its annual Grand Prix.

On the eve of the ceremony, the royal couple joined a 15,000-strong crowd of their subjects and Monaco residents to cheer California rockers The Eagles at the stadium of the principality's recently relegated football team.

They may have made the appearance to lay to rest persistent rumours that the 33-year-old blonde athlete has cold feet about going through with the marriage, but they appeared to share the joy of the crowd.

A smiling Charlene, who already appeared relaxed and content earlier on Thursday when she arrived for a wedding rehearsal, even tried out some dance steps with His Most Serene Highness as the fans cheered.

Charlene showed off her broad swimmer's shoulders in a black bustier, despite reports that she is trying to modify her exercise routine to achieve a more classically elegant shape, and Albert wore a dark jacket.

Charlene was to become “Princess of Monaco” shortly after 5:00

pm (1500 GMT) Friday, when Philippe Narmino, Monaco's top legal official and president of the state council, pronounces the couple man and wife.

“I'll let the music run its course,” said an 86-year-old local who still remembers the 1956 nuptials of Albert's father Rainier and Hollywood siren Grace Kelly. “It's a happy day. Monaco has seen enough grief.”

But, reflecting the view of many who talked to AFP, he also moved quickly on to the next big question: “The important thing is that there be an heir.”

Gossip is endemic in Monaco's tiny native community, but many are reluctant to share their concerns with outsiders, and most of those who spoke to AFP only did so on condition of anonymity.

“A marriage brings us security for the succession,” said an 80-year-old retired casino manager. “Charlene's very pretty, I just hope she adapts.

“We're lucky to be Monegasque. We live the good life, protected jobs, no military service. It's important to have a prince. With no prince there's no principality.”

Albert has illegitimate children with two women but has yet to produce a royal heir. In 2002, fearing Albert would die without a legitimate prince, Monaco changed its constitution to allow a princess to inherit.

Albert's mother, Princess Grace, died in a car crash in 1982. Her daughter Caroline lost second husband Stefano Casiraghi in a 1990 motorboat accident.

The other royal sister, Princess Stephanie, has also been unlucky in love, in the words of Wednesday's edition of Le Parisien “marrying almost as often as she falls in love” and finding herself betrayed by her bodyguard lover. -

Sapa-AFP

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