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Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco's show of unity
08 Aug 2011 at 08:48hrs | Views
The marriage between Prince Albert and Zimbabwe-born Princess Charlene of Monaco has faced a lot of challenges so far but the couple have finally made a show of unity. They took to the dancefloor during the 63rd Red Cross Ball at the Sporting Monte Carlo hotel complex.
Tales of the bride trying to run out before her big day, tears on the wedding day itself, DNA tests and paternity suits, claims that the marriage was a sham, and bizarre stories about them sleeping in separate hotels despite being in the same city.
Charlene, 33, on the night was dressed in a fuchsia strapless Akris gown and a custom-made Van Cleef & Arpels necklace made from 88 round diamonds, 10 pear-shaped diamonds and 359 sapphires.
The couple posed for photographs on the dancefloor and, despite looking a little stiff for a couple ready to shake their royal moneymakers on a lit-up dancefloor, they gave more of an air of intimacy, looking into each other's eyes and even managing to smile to the strains of Joe Cocker.
It was revealed last month that the pair had slept in hotel rooms 10 miles apart while staying in Charlene's native South Africa on their 'second' honeymoon. The reason given was that Prince Albert, 53, didn't want to get stuck in traffic the following day.
Charlene's father, retired photocopier salesman Mike Wittstock, said it was 'because Albert attended the conference for the International Olympic Committee at the Hilton.
'The conference started at 7am and Albert did not want to get up unnecessarily early and to sit in traffic.'
A Monaco palace source confirmed that 'for practical reasons, it was better' for the prince to sleep at the Hilton.
But neither the source nor Mr Wittstock could explain why Charlene could not simply have stayed at the Hilton as well.
The newlyweds had to cut short their original honeymoon to South Africa so he could take a DNA test to resolve a multi-million-pound paternity claim.
Reports of Albert's alleged philandering had driven Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer, to try to run away from Monaco three times before their wedding, which has led many royal commentators in France questioning whether the £55million wedding was a complete sham.
Tales of the bride trying to run out before her big day, tears on the wedding day itself, DNA tests and paternity suits, claims that the marriage was a sham, and bizarre stories about them sleeping in separate hotels despite being in the same city.
Charlene, 33, on the night was dressed in a fuchsia strapless Akris gown and a custom-made Van Cleef & Arpels necklace made from 88 round diamonds, 10 pear-shaped diamonds and 359 sapphires.
The couple posed for photographs on the dancefloor and, despite looking a little stiff for a couple ready to shake their royal moneymakers on a lit-up dancefloor, they gave more of an air of intimacy, looking into each other's eyes and even managing to smile to the strains of Joe Cocker.
It was revealed last month that the pair had slept in hotel rooms 10 miles apart while staying in Charlene's native South Africa on their 'second' honeymoon. The reason given was that Prince Albert, 53, didn't want to get stuck in traffic the following day.
Charlene's father, retired photocopier salesman Mike Wittstock, said it was 'because Albert attended the conference for the International Olympic Committee at the Hilton.
'The conference started at 7am and Albert did not want to get up unnecessarily early and to sit in traffic.'
A Monaco palace source confirmed that 'for practical reasons, it was better' for the prince to sleep at the Hilton.
But neither the source nor Mr Wittstock could explain why Charlene could not simply have stayed at the Hilton as well.
The newlyweds had to cut short their original honeymoon to South Africa so he could take a DNA test to resolve a multi-million-pound paternity claim.
Reports of Albert's alleged philandering had driven Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer, to try to run away from Monaco three times before their wedding, which has led many royal commentators in France questioning whether the £55million wedding was a complete sham.
Source - Daily mail
