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| Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene after their wedding. Image: Reuters |
The royal wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene
Wittstock was a magical day that evoked some poignant memories in Monaco. As
the breathtaking blonde bride stood at the ornate altar in the Palais Princier,
royal observers couldn’t help thinking back to the principality’s last wedding
of a reigning sovereign in April 1956, when the beautiful actress Grace Kelly
married Prince Rainier III and became a Princess.
The glamorous screen legend would surely have been overjoyed
to see her son, Prince Albert, wed as elegant and poised a young woman as South
African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock. And it would have moved the late
royal couple to see their own nuptials reenacted decades later, bringing new
love to the palace, and ushering in a new era for the Grimaldi dynasty.
But in the absence of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier,
Monegasque celebrated for them, gathering to watch the ceremony on giant TV’s
throughout Monaco and erupting in cheers as Albert and Charlene exchanged vows
in a lavish, multimillion-dollar spectacle that will go down in the
Mediterranean enclave’s history.
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On July 2, 2011—a day after the couple of five years were
legally married in a civil ceremony at the Prince’s Palace—Charlene, 33, was
ready to don her wedding dress for the 90-minute Roman Catholic ceremony. At 5
pm, she entered the palace in an off white silk duchesse satin Giorgio Armani
Prive gown, its delicate floral pattern embroidered with 90,000 pearl drops,
Swarowski crystals and gems. The statuesque beauty held a bouquet of freesias,
orchids and lilies of the valley.
Followed by seven bridesmaids—all wearing the nation’s
traditional flower girl costume—Charlene made her way down the aisle with her
father, Michael, approaching the double spiral staircase in the 17th century Courtyard of
Honour.
The well-heeled congregation of 850 royals, dignitaries and
celebrities leaped to their feet clapping, and Charlene’s husband-to-be, 53,
looking dashing in a white summer uniform of the Palace Guards, elicited
chuckles from the crowd as he peeked backwards to steal a glimpse of his bride.
Sir Paul McCartney’s “Standing Stone,” sung by opera singers Lisa Larson and
Kenneth Tarver, filled the space.
Charlene joined her prince at the foot of the spectacular
staircase, carved from a single block of Carrara marble, and the pair took
their places on the scarlet damask stools in front of the altar, which had been
consecrated for the occasion. As the couple’s proud families looked on –
including Albert’s sisters, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie – the prince’s
nieces Pauline Ducruet and Charlotte Casiraghi delivered readings.
By the time the Archbishop of Monaco, His grace Bernard
Barsi, made his stirring address, the emotion in the room was palpable. The
couple exchanged vows – each affirming their lifelong commitment with a
heartfelt “Oui” – and they were
pronounced husband and wife. After the bride and groom exchanged 18-karat white
gold platinum Cartier rings, a traditional South African marriage song was
performed and communion was taken. Albert the lifted his new wife’s veil and
kiss her.
Amid much applause, the delighted groom punched the air in
celebration, his look expressing what he would later say to his bride in his
wedding speech: “Thank you for allowing me to share my life with you.” Andrea
Bocelli then sang “Ave Maria,” and the newly-weds signed the marriage register
and left the palace arm in arm, while the elated crowds showered them with
white rose petals.
Custom dictates that the bride place her bouquet at the feet
of the principality’s patron saint, and as she did so as at the picturesque
Church of Sainte-Devote, joyful tears streamed down her face. Charlene had her
prince, and Monaco had its new princess.
About the Author: Christian George Acevedo loves to write about everything. He has authored hundreds of articles for various websites, and his expertise ranges from online marketing and finance to history and entertainment. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Google, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tumblr.
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