Kim Kardashian wedding prompts 22 calls to police (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Kim Kardashian's weekend wedding kept the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office busy.

Officer Drew Sugars says the Saturday evening ceremony brought 22 calls into the station, mostly complaints from neighbors about loud music and helicopters overhead.

Sugars says seven deputies were hired to provide supplemental security at the nuptials, which were held at a private estate in Montecito, Calif.

No citations were issued, and no arrests were made.

Kardashian's marriage to professional basketball player Kris Humphries was filmed for a forthcoming TV special.

It is the first marriage for the 26-year-old athlete and the second for the 30-year-old reality star, who appears on E!'s "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

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Kim's wedding is big business for the Kardashians (AP)

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen, Ap Entertainment Writer – Fri Aug 19, 10:54 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Call it wholly monetized matrimony. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are set to be married Saturday in a lavish, made-for-TV celebration of love, devotion and product-placement.

The reality-TV bombshell and her pro-basketball boyfriend will wed at a canyon estate in the tony seaside town of Montecito, near Santa Barbara, Calif. The exact location of the black-tie ceremony has been kept secret, but everything else about the extravaganza — the dress designer, the cake maker, the stationer, the gift registry, the Kardashian-brand perfume — has been touted `til death do us part on celebrity websites, entertainment shows and Kardashian's own blog and Twitter pages. The bridesmaids are even wearing green.

Still, "there are so many surprises!" Kim Kardashian gushed at a party to celebrate the launch of her new Sears clothing line, Kardashian Kollection, mere days before the nuptials. "I think it's just going to be so much fun. I'm really looking forward to the wedding."

Kardashian went on to extoll the deep love and compatibility she and Humphries share. "We have a really good balancing system," she said, before working it back to the clothing line. "Like our personalities — he lets me chill and he gives me my space when I need to design and approve the shoes and the clothes and everything. We just have a good connection."

The marriage will be Kardashian's second and Humphries' first. (She was previously married to music producer Damon Thomas from 2000 to 2004.)

Much has been made of the Kardashian-Humphries wedding invitations, which were decorated with black crystals and arrived in silver boxes. Guests were asked to wear black and white and to keep ceremony details confidential. Even more has been made of the couple's wedding registry at Geary's of Beverly Hills, which totals $172,000 and includes such items as a $1,650 coffee pot and two $1,250 sterling silver vegetable spoons.

Entertainment media have breathlessly reported every available detail on the pending nuptials. And when Kardashian's sisters revealed at Wednesday's launch event that the bridal party will be wearing green, they said it as if dropping a national secret.

Mom Kris Jenner was coy even about her dress, saying only that "it's beautiful" — which would be fitting, of course, for the royal reality-TV wedding of the year, with some speculating its price tag could reach $10 million.

But such expense will surely be offset by the bouquet of wedding deals now in place.

The ceremony and everything leading up to it will be featured in a two-part special on E!, the same network that airs "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and its spinoffs, "Khloe & Lamar," "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami" and "Kourtney and Kim Take New York."

The special won't air for two months, though, prompting Online card company someecards.com to offer a greeting that reads: "Here's hoping Kim Kardashian's marriage lasts until her wedding special airs in October."

Then there's the magazine exclusive (reportedly with People) that will feature photos and details about the nuptials and the sure-to-be-star-studded guest list. And don't forget Kim Kardashian's Love, a limited-edition perfume that is being sold for $100 a bottle to commemorate the occasion.

Kardashian also constantly updates her five million monthly website visitors and more than nine million Twitter followers about her progress with her pre-wedding workouts (with celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson), her dress fittings (with designer Vera Wang), and her invitation designer (Lehr & Black).

"She's certainly not the first (celebrity) to capitalize on her wedding and photos and the press to get everything paid for and more," said marketing expert Ryan Schinman, chief of Platinum Rye Entertainment. "It's the first that feels a little commercial. But from what everyone sees, she's very much in love, as long as her fiancA© doesn't mind one of the most special moments in their lives being followed and shared with the rest of the world."

Kardashian has made a fortune selling her most intimate moments, from the sex tape that surfaced in 2007 to this weekend's wedding.

And it doesn't stop there. While her everyday activities are documented in her family's reality show, the 30-year-old stylist and former closet-organizer-to-the-stars also has several namesake perfumes, a shoe-shopping website, promotional deals with Sketchers shoes and QuickTrim weight-loss supplements, a series of fitness DVDs, and that new Kardashian Kollection at Sears.

"She's single-handedly been able to bring her entire family into the mix, not just Kim but the entire Kardashian clan," Schinman said. "Corporate America has woken up to the fact that this girl has such a following that she would be an ideal spokesperson who can really help move products, whether it's her own products in beauty and fashion or endorsing traditional companies like Sketchers.

"Right now, there's not a hotter reality personality out there than Kim."

And by selling the wedding, she helps keep it that way. Her fans are hanging on every incremental announcement, said Gillian Sheldon, vice president of programming for BUZZMEDIA, which produces the Kardashians' websites.

"People have shared in her love story and everyone is so excited," Sheldon said. "Not everyone can be invited to her wedding, but she brings people in with her blog, with a TV special on E!. She genuinely wants to share the moment with her fans because she cares that much about them."

Kardashian's website will feature a "virtual guest book" fans can sign on her wedding day, Sheldon said.

Could there be a backlash against the beautiful socialite-turned amateur porn star-turned reality TV entrepreneur for having a made-for-TV wedding? Schinman says no.

"People expect it from her," he said. "She needs to stay relevant and this has to be shared because that's how she makes her money."

It's all part of the lucrative Kim Kardashian brand. And one she zealously protects. Last month, Kardashian sued Old Navy for using a model who resembles her in its advertising.

"She is the brand and the people behind her are the people that are making the business decisions," Schinman said. "Part of it is luck, part of it is timing, and part of it is great business."

Kardashian said "I do" to that years ago.

___

Online:

http://kimkardashian.celebuzz.com/

www.twitter.com/KimKardashian

http://www.eonline.com/on/shows/kardashians/index.html

www.someecards.com

___

AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen can be reached at www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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UK watches year's second, low key, royal wedding (AP)

EDINBURGH, Scotland – Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Phillips married England rugby star Mike Tindall on Saturday — but Britain's second royal wedding of the year was largely a low-key affair, with only a hint of the glamor and excitement of Prince William's showstopping nuptials.

Phillips, 30, who is 13th in line to the throne but does not use a royal title, and Tindall, 32, were greeted by hundreds of flag-waving well-wishers and the sound of traditional bagpipes as they left their wedding service at Edinburgh's Canongate Kirk following a private ceremony.

The often publicity shy bride wore a traditional ivory silk gown and a full-length flowing veil, but posed only briefly for onlookers — and gave her husband a fleeting, modest kiss — as they left the 17th century church for a reception at the queen's Scottish residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Unlike William and Kate Middleton's spectacular ceremony in April, the wedding service led by Rev. Neil Gardner was not broadcast on television and crowds gathered in the Scottish city were warned by police there would be little for them to see.

Members of the public packed along Edinburgh's Royal Mile, the city's famed cobbled boulevard, cheered loudly for William and Middleton, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they arrived to join the congregation, traveling in a sleek black sedan with Prince Harry.

Middleton, wearing a biscuit colored coat, dress and large angled hat won a warm reception as she offered a wave, as did the queen and Duke of Edinburgh who arrived shortly before the bride.

While the details of Middleton's wedding gown were a closely guarded secret, Phillips — more commonly seen in jeans or sportswear — made an expected choice in choosing Stewart Parvin, a British designer favored by the queen. She also wore a Greek Key tiara lent to her by mother Princess Anne, and Jimmy Choo shoes.

Parvin also designed the queen's apricot wool coat and silk dress.

Peta Hunt, fashion director of You & Your Wedding magazine said the ivory gown hinted at the bride's quirky personality.

"Who else could go to a wedding and have their dress done by the same person who does their granny's? It allowed her to move with ease and grace, but had an element of fun and flirtiness," Hunt said.

The occasion was far removed from April's international spectacle at Westminster Abbey, but neatly reflected the couple's unflashy style. Tindall had even proposed in a modest setting, as he and Phillips curled up on a sofa at home watching a movie.

Before the ceremony, royal officials confirmed that Phillips will keep her maiden name rather than be known as Mrs. Tindall, largely because of her sporting career.

Phillips is known better for her sporting achievements than her royal heritage, as a world class equestrian who is likely to compete in the 2012 Olympics. Tindall — who Phillips met in 2003 in Australia during England's triumphant Rugby World Cup campaign — is a leading rugby player who has captained his country.

The ceremony was the first royal wedding held in Scotland since 1992, when Princess Anne — the mother of the bride — married her second husband, Timothy Laurence. Anne's elder child, Peter Phillips, married his Canadian partner Autumn Kelly in 2008.

Even the prospect of a brief glimpse of the royal family was enough to entice hundreds to Edinburgh for Saturday's wedding, including a few dozen stalwarts who camped overnight to win a front row view.

Waving a Canadian flag, Margaret Kittle, 76, said she had traveled from Ontario, Canada, and staked out a spot on Friday night. "I flew over last Saturday and have been here since last night. I started following the royals after I saw George VI and the Queen back home in Canada when I was 4 years old," she said.

Helen Sutherland, a 65-year-old from Muir of-Ord in the Scottish Highlands, was wrapped in a warm blanket as she waited for a glimpse of Britain's newest royal couple. "It got chilly through the night, but we want to see the bride and her dress. They seem to be a very happy couple," she said.

Phillips and Tindall hosted a glitzy cocktail party late Friday for relatives and guests aboard the former royal yacht Britannia, which they had hired for the occasion. The famous ship, once used by the queen to tour the world, was decommissioned in 1997.

But the party was a rare moment of public glamor for the couple, who are known for putting their devotion to sports ahead of their celebrity. The couple's honeymoon has been postponed because both are due to feature in major events next week — the bride in horse trials, and the groom in England's rugby international against Wales.

___

David Stringer in London contributed to this report.

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Yacht party on eve of Britain's second royal wedding (AFP)

EDINBURGH (AFP) – Queen Elizabeth II's eldest granddaughter Zara Phillips and her fiance Mike Tindall threw a party on a yacht Friday on the eve of their wedding, with Prince William and wife Catherine among the guests.

Phillips and England rugby star Tindall hosted drinks on the Royal Yacht Britannia after a wedding rehearsal for Saturday's service in Edinburgh, which they ended with a brief kiss outside the church to the delight of well-wishers.

Among guests arriving at the party was Catherine, wearing a mid-length green dress, who headed up the red-carpeted steps followed by husband William, second in line to the throne, wearing a blue suit and red tie.

They are attending the wedding just three months after their own marriage on April 29, which drew worldwide attention.

Prince Harry, William's younger brother, was last to arrive at the yacht, bouncing up the steps two at a time and entering the party to a huge cheer.

Phillips, wearing a white one-shoulder dress with a blue print design, and Tindall mingled with guests on the outside decking area of the ship during the two-hour party, as a live band played and waiters served champagne and canapes.

The older generation of Britain's royal family was absent, with no sign of the queen, her husband Prince Philip or William's father Prince Charles and his wife Camilla.

The yacht, permanently moored in Edinburgh's port of Leith, served the royal family for 44 years, carrying them on 968 official voyages all around the world before it was decommissioned in 1997.

Phillips' parents, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, honeymooned on the ship, cruising the Caribbean in 1973.

The queen adored the yacht and wept in public for the first time when it was retired.

Before the party, former eventing world champion Phillips and rugby World Cup winner Tindall arrived at Edinburgh's 17th century Canongate Kirk in a chauffeur-driven Jaguar for one last run-through of the service.

The couple, both dressed in jeans, spent about 50 minutes inside, along with the Reverend Neil Gardner, who will conduct the ceremony, and Tindall's best man Iain Balshaw, his former Bath and England colleague.

At William and Catherine's wedding, more than a million people lined the streets of London and an estimated two billion more watched on television.

Phillips' wedding, a much more intimate affair, is not being televised but filming equipment was seen being moved into the church.

Canongate Kirk holds up to 400 people and is about 400 metres away from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch's official residence in Scotland, where the reception will be held.

The last royal wedding in Scotland was that of Anne and her second husband Timothy Laurence.

They married in 1992 at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral, the queen's private estate in Scotland.

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Wedding dress to draw record crowds to London palace (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) – Buckingham Palace expects record crowds this summer, when up to 650,000 people are set to file into Queen Elizabeth's London residence and past the dress worn by Kate Middleton at her royal wedding to Prince William.

The ivory and white garment, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, won over the fashion press and public when Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge and a future queen, walked up the aisle of Westminster Abbey in April.

In the run-up to the fairytale wedding, details of the outfit were a closely guarded secret, known only to the handful of people who worked on the dress.

Hundreds of millions of viewers admired it on television and the internet, and now hundreds of thousands will see it for themselves, unprotected on a raised oval stage in the ornate palace ballroom where state banquets are held.

Reflecting the surge in interest in the royals after the marriage and the newlyweds' recent trip to North America, advanced ticket sales for the summer tour of Buckingham Palace have hit 126,000, up 107 percent on the same point last year.

In total a record 643,000 people are expected to take the tour, during which visitors can see 19 state rooms, a display of Faberge jewelry -- and the dress, Middleton's wedding shoes, earrings and a silk replica of her bouquet.

Above the dress is the original veil and Cartier "halo" tiara worn by the bride, featuring around 900 diamonds and lent to her for the occasion by the queen.

Caroline de Guitaut, curator of decorative arts at the Royal Collection, said the royal couple, whose wedding drew huge crowds to the streets of London, had striven for modesty as well as beauty and grandeur on the big day.

"They wanted the wedding to be modest as far as an occasion of that kind can be modest," De Guitaut told reporters at a press preview of the display.

"There is a sense of modesty in this dress. I think it will stand the test of time, definitely."

QUEEN AND DUCHESS TO VISIT

In a video made after the wedding and for the exhibition, designer Burton talked in detail about the painstaking process of making the dress and its 2.7-meter train.

Middleton was closely involved in the design process as well as in the decision to display the dress in Buckingham Palace. The queen and duchess were due to visit the display on Friday.

"What is so astounding ... is just how much thought and extraordinary work and craftsmanship and skill went into it," said De Guitaut.

Even the wedding cake is on show in a glass cabinet in the state dining room, complete with ornate sugar flowers and a deep cut where the couple plunged in the knife.

The other major attraction for visitors this year is a display of around 100 pieces from the British monarchy's unparalleled collection of works by Russian jeweler Faberge.

The exhibition, which features highlights from a total of 600-700 Faberge creations owned by the royals, ranged from treasures bought by and given to Queen Victoria to a recent bequest to heir to the throne Prince Charles.

"Many of these pieces are still in use," said De Guitaut. "Clocks, for example, are still on desks and (picture) frames are still used in private apartments. It's still a living collection."

The summer opening at Buckingham Palace runs from July 23 to October 3.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Tim Pearce)

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Monaco royal wedding: live report (AFP)

1617 GMT: "Compared to yesterday's tense ceremony, the Princess seems a little more relaxed," says AFP's Dave Clark.

"But journalists here and -- judging by Twitter responses -- many viewers out there are a little disappointed by the lack of obvious chemistry.

"He did wink at here earlier, and they shared a chat after the vows, but now they seem to be blanking each other.

"Let's hope it's just the solemnity of the moment -- it is after all a religious and political ceremony as well as the wedding of two lovers.

"We might see a kiss later. After all, as part of the ceremony Albert was asked if he "renounces Satan and all evil desires". He said: "I do". Which is reassuring."

And on that note, we're wrapping up this live report. Thanks for reading, and visit our YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/AFP, for video coverage of the celebrations.

1605 GMT: Communion begins, to strains of Saint-Saens' Symphony Number Three (Poco Adagio).

1603 GMT: Meanwhile, some dark clouds are gathering outside above the Rock of Monaco. Luckily the reception's inside the city's famous casino.

1556 GMT: And there's a final kiss on the lips.

1554 GMT: Back to the service itself. The Archbishop has read the Lord's Prayer, and is blessing the couple.

1548 GMT: And here's some details on the rings: They're 18 carat white gold and platinum, made by the House of Cartier.

1547 GMT: Later on, Princess Charlene is to change into another Armani dress that sounds like a less-formal version of the one she's wearing now -- off-white silk chiffon with a broad neckline and embroidered four-tier train.

The South African princess may be taking her cue from Kate Middleton -- who changed into a simplified version of her Alexander McQueen wedding gown after her marriage to Britain's Prince William in April.

1544 GMT: As this is a Catholic ceremony, the couple will both be taking Holy Communion. The bread and wine are being blessed.

1543 GMT: The soprano Renee Fleming is singing extracts from Mozart's Solemn Vespers.

1542 GMT: Alexandra Hanover reads the Universal Prayers.

1538 GMT: And in a nod to the bride's birthplace, a traditional South African song strikes up, wishing good fortune to the new couple.

1537 GMT: Albert winks at his bride, and seals the deal with a rather awkward kiss.

1536 GMT: Alexandra of Hanover brings the rings.

1535 GMT: The couple are asked to take each other as husband and wife, and both say yes, no doubt to the immense relief of palace officials.

1534 GMT: The witnesses are called... and now it's time for the couple to exchange vows.

1533 GMT: The couple renounce Satan and proclaim their Christian faith.

1532 GMT: Charlene smiles when the Archbishop refers to fidelity and forgiveness, AFP's Laure Brumont can't help noting.

Senior officials in Monaco now privately admit is the "truth" of the rumour that Albert faces a paternity test following a claim by at least one former lover.

There had been claims -- denied by the palace -- that Charlene had threatened to call off the wedding, days before, when she heard about this.

1527 GMT: "It is the god of love that has allowed the meeting of Albert and Charlene," the Archbishop says.

1525 GMT: Later on, Princess Charlene is to change into another Armani dress for the reception -- off-white silk chiffon with a broad neckline and embroidered four-tier train.

It sounds like a less formal version of the one she's wearing now -- in this respect, the South African princess may be taking a leaf out of Kate Middleton's book. Middleton, who married, Britain's Prince William in April,

1523 GMT: The bride looks calm as she listens to the service, kneeling at the altar with Albert.

1520 GMT: Reading in French, the Archbishop begins the marriage service.

1518 GMT: The first reading, the First Letter of St John, is by Charlotte Casiraghi, second daughter of Albert's sister Princess Caroline.

1515 GMT: Charlene's seven young bridesmaids (not six, according to our earlier post), are wearing embroidered taffeta bodices and red and cream striped taffeta skirts with velvet ribbons.

Their outfits are topped off with wide-brimmed straw hats lined with silk and embroidered in cream mimosa, and each has a black velvet choker decorated with a Provencal gold cross donated by the groom.

1513 GMT: We've got some more details on the dress, which has been confirmed as a Giorgio Armani creation -- no surprises there...

Studded in crystal and pearl, it took 2,500 hours to prepare, according to the palace. The embroidery alone took 700 hours, and "kilometres" of platinum-coated thread were sewn into 130 metres of off-white silk.

Charlene's broad swimming champion's shoulders also had to bear the weight of 40,000 Swarovski crystals, 20,000 mother of pearl tear drops and 30,000 "stones in gold shades", the palace announced.

The stones and crystals were arranged in floral patterns and the ensemble was topped off with a long train and subtly embroidered off-white veil made from 20 metres of silk tulle, itself requiring 100 hours of labour.

Albert is wearing the cream summer uniform of Monaco's palace guards, its sleeves embrodered with oak and olive leaves and the front fastened with monogrammed golden buttons.

His chest is emblazoned with medals representing the Order of Saint Charles, the Order of Grimaldi and France's Legion of Honour. His rigid fabric cap is topped off with a rosette representing the Crown of Monaco.

1505 GMT: And the service has begun -- with cries of "Gloria!" from the choir.

1504 GMT: Following her are six bridesmaids, representing the six districts of Monaco.

1503 GMT: Composed and smiling, with her her swept stylishly back, she's now at the altar with Prince Albert.

1501 GMT: Princess Charlene has arrived and is slowly making her way through the chapel on the arm of her father. The sleeveless dress, in ivory, has a long train.

1500 GMT: There's applause as Albert comes down the stairs.

1459 GMT: "We're told that many of Charlene's fellow South Africans have decided to watch the rugby today instead of the wedding, says Dave Clark.

"But there certainly seem to be a lot of them tweeting about it -- so maybe they're not all as tough and sporty as they like to seem, and they're secretly at home enjoying the dresses and the hats?"

1458 GMT: Sarkozy, wearing a black suit without tails, gets a round of applause from the crowd of French tourists watching nearby on big screens.

1456 GMT: France's President Nicolas Sarkozy has arrived, without his pregnant wife Carla Bruni. The cameras have all focused on His Excellency Monsignor Bernard Barsi, Archbishop for Monaco. It looks like the ceremony's about to begin.

1454 GMT: Albert II of Belgium and his wife Queen Paola have arrived, followed by Queen Silvia of Sweden.

1450 GMT: We've had a flood of royal arrivals now: from Monaco, Pierre, Charlotte, Andrea, and Alexandra, all children of Princess Caroline. Following close behind are the Moroccan princesses, Mary, the Crown Princess of Denmark, and Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Representing Queen Elizabeth II of England is her grandson Prince Edward and his wife Sophie. Edward is wearing a Royal Navy uniform -- "Presumably an honorary one," notes Dave Clark, "as he didn't stay long in the forces before leaving to go into television production."

1443 GMT: The bride's family have arrived.

1442 GMT: "We must be getting closer to the wedding itself -- Albert's sisters Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie and their kids have just arrived, to warm applause from the 3,800 of their fellow Monegasques in the outer courtyard," says AFP's Dave Clark.

"The royals do seem to be genuinely appreciated in Monaco, which is so small -- only 7,800 nationals and 35,000 foreign residents -- that you meet many people who know them personally, or went to school with them.

"Then again, as subjects of a state with no taxes to speak of and a policy of prioritising locals for jobs, why wouldn't they like the bosses?"

1440 GMT: Some more well-bred guests arriving: Princess Madeleine of Sweden, and the Count of Paris. Farah Diba, Empress of Iran before the country's 1979 Islamic revolution, is also here.

1438 GMT: A correction -- it's the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra that's striking up with Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata No 35.

1436 GMT: British supermodel Naomi Campbell has arrived in a green off-the-shoulder number.

"I've just learned that some consider it unlucky to wear green at a wedding," says Dave Clark, "but then Naomi is not afraid of causing a fuss.

"Monaco television claims that she turned down an invite to Kate Moss's wedding to come to Monaco. No idea if that's true, but it must have been a tough call if it is.

"The Monte Carlo symphony orchestra has started a sound check. They sound ready.

"It really is very sunny and hot out there. There are protective cloths shading the courtyard where the wedding is taking place, but it must be hot inside some of those outfits."

1434 GMT: Bringing a touch of European aristocracy to the red carpet is Emanuele Filiberto, the Duke of Savoy, and his actress wife Clotilde Courau, who is in red. Emanuele Filiberto is the grandson of Umberto II, the last king of Italy.

1430 GMT: "Many of the guests arriving are instantly recognisable celebrities, but all seem to have to produce their invitation as the arrive at the palace gate," reports Dave Clark.

"Bernadette Chirac has just arrived, escported by elegantly dressed and tough-looking body guards, but not her elderly husband. The former first lady still seems popular with the crowds, who cheer her, and she waves briefly and mouths "bonjour" to onlookers.

"Not many guests have brought their kids, but French style icon Ines de la Fressange did, and is taking pictures of them in the courtyard.

"Another young family just arrived, with three excited but slightly awed looking young girls with pretty dresses. No idea who they were, but I bet they won't forget the day they met the princesses," says Clark. Who adds, uncertainly: "Unless they were princesses."

1427 GMT: World motorsports chief Jean Todt has arrived with his wife, the actress Michelle Yeoh. Along with Roger Moore, Yeoh brings a touch of James Bond glamour to the festivities -- she co-starred with Pierce Brosnan in the 1997 Bond film "Tomorrow Never Dies".

1419 GMT: More details of those latest arrivals from my colleague Dave Clark.

"The guests are pouring in thick and fast now, ferried in from the presitigious Hotel de Paris, near the Casino, and other luxury addresses.

"Lots of sportsmen, models and fashion designers. Former James Bond actor Roger Moore is a Monaco resident and big crowd favourite. Big cheers for Karl Lagerfeld, a good friend of Charlene's, who has shot many of her most famous photo portraits.

"Prince Emmanuel de Svoie and wife French actress Clothilde Coureau are en route.

"Giorgio Armani is tanned a dark teak colour, arriving on the arm of an extraordinary tall woman in sweeping elegant dress. Pre-wedding rumours have been unanimous that Charlene's dress will be Armani, but the details are still firmly under wraps."

1417 GMT: An impressive trio of fashion giants has arrived: Italy's Roberto Cavalli, Germany's Karl Lagerfeld, and Italy's Giorgio Armani.

French model Ines de la Fressange, looking very elegant in black, has also arrived with her two daughters.

1413 GMT: Joining the list of sports stars on the list -- both bride and groom have represented their countries at the Olympics -- is former Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase, one of the top players of the 1970s.

1410 GMT: Hot on his heels is Michel Roger, Monaco's Minister of State.

1409 GMT: Monaco's mayor, Georges Marsan, has arrived to great applause.

1408 GMT: And we've had the first casualty of the day. Attempting to make a graceful exit from her car, a guest promptly topples over on her high heels.

1405 GMT: With the sun beating down on the crowd, hats are de rigeur. There's a few shouts for water to be handed out, too.

1402 GMT: A few members of the press appear to have forgotten they're here to work. "Some journalists are having their pictures taken in front of the palace by their colleagues," says an AFP correspondent.

1359 GMT: Upon arrival, the VIP guests step onto a red carpet, embroidered in white, and are promptly saluted by the Prince's uniformed guards.

1358 GMT: French electropop pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre, in an open-necked shirt, has arrived to great applause after last night's spectacular light and sound show over the city.

1349 GMT: The weather's looking good: "Warm, with a few light clouds," says my colleague Laure Brumont at the palace.

1345 GMT: "Celebrities have begun to arrive at the palace for the religious ceremony, ferried to the red carpet in a fleet of 200 BMW 7 Series cars," AFP's Dave Clark adds.

"No global stars yet, but we have seen French tennis star of yesteryear Henri Leconte and television quiz show hostess Victoria Silvstedt."

1343 GMT: "A few hundred tourists are scattered along the route between the Rock of Monaco (a 141-metre, or 459-foot tall monolith on the principality's coast) and the chapel, trying to get the best seats," says my colleague at the scene.

"But attendance is very sparse at the moment."

1339 GMT: So what can we expect during Saturday's celebrations?

One thing's for sure, there'll be plenty of glitz, glamour and big names at the wedding feast, which will be held later at Monaco's famous casino.

The most senior guest will be France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose pregnant wife Carla Bruni is holidaying at her family's nearby villa.

Britain's royals will be meanwhile be represented by Elizabeth II's son Prince Edward.

Armani-clad Princess Charlene and her new husband plan to cross the city state in an open topped Lexus hybrid, a gesture to the prince's green credentials amid otherwise extravagant scenes of champagne quaffing and fireworks.

Indeed, whatever carbon is offset by the couple's choice of vehicle, will itself be more than compensated for by the 200-strong fleet of BMX 7 Series saloons that will ferry the guests to the ceremony.

Several more European and African kings and princes will be there, along with supermodels such as Naomi Campbell and several sporting friends of Albert and Charlene, who have both represented their countries at the Olympics.

1330 GMT: Welcome to AFP's live coverage of the wedding of Monaco's Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock, which has seen hundreds of world leaders, fellow royals and stars of sport and fashion descend upon the tiny Mediterranean realm.

Here's a quick round-up of the celebrations so far:

- Saturday marks day two of the nuptials, after yesterday's civil ceremony in the palace throne room. It's set to be marked with a spectacular open-air religious ceremony in front of 800 guests and 3,500 subjects in the palace courtyard.

- Organisers hope the spectacle will overshadow what senior Monaco officials now privately admit is the "truth" of the rumour that Albert faces a paternity test following a claim by at least one former lover.

- There had been reports in the run-up to the wedding that the new Princess Charlene, a South African former Olympic swimmer, threatened to leave when she learned her prince's latest secret.

- Albert is, at 53, two decades older than his bride. He has two children from previous relationships, but even if a third or a fourth is confirmed he will still not have an official heir until his wife bears him one.

- Charlene appeared tense but poised at Friday's civil marriage ceremony in the throne room, but relaxed slightly at a buffet reception for Monaco's people, where she posed for pictures and hugged babies.

- Later, she and the prince joined an estimated 80,000 people -- double the normal population of the state -- at the waterfront for a spectacular sound and light show by veteran French electropop pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre.

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Albert, Charlene set for Monaco religious wedding (AP)

MONACO – Newlyweds Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene, a one-time Olympic swimmer from South Africa, are ready to say their vows again, this time in a star-studded religious ceremony.

The couple was married in an intimate civil service on Friday in the prince's palace. Albert, the son of Grace Kelly and the late Prince Rainier III, is Monaco's reigning prince.

The big wedding event, however, is Saturday. Guests expected at the Catholic service and gala dinner to follow include assorted European royals, top models and world class athletes.

Celebrated French-born chef Alain Ducasse is preparing a multi-course dinner for 450 guests. He has said freshly caught fish and vegetables grown on Albert's farm will be on the menu.

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Monaco prepares for more wedding festivities (AFP)

MONACO (AFP) – Monaco geared up for more celebrations Saturday as Prince Albert II prepared to go through a second, Catholic, marriage ceremony with his bride, South African beauty Charlene Wittstock.

Saturday's service is to be attended by fellow royals and stars from fashion and showbusiness.

Celebrations began Friday in the Mediterranean nation as the nervous looking couple went through a civil ceremony before close friends and family, transmitted on giant screens to a cheering crowd.

All 7,810 adult Monegasque subjects were invited to a buffet reception at the Grimaldis' medieval palace, overlooking the tiny tax haven's main marina.

"Once again in its seven-century history the Grimaldi dynasty is opening up to a new world," declared Philippe Narmino, Monaco's senior legal officer and registrar, as he conducted the civil ceremony.

"In joining it, mademoiselle, you are bringing the freshness of your youth, the richness of another culture, and the modernity of your gaze," he said, as Charlene -- clad in a powder-blue gown she designed herself -- smiled.

Asked whether she accepted Albert's hand, she responded firmly "Oui" and the groom kissed her hand, as around 90 close friends and family looked on and Albert's sister Princess Stephanie dried her eyes with a hanky.

The throne room ceremony was transmitted to the crowds on giant screens, before the couple emerged onto a balcony, shared a brief kiss and waved to wellwishers before descending to join them to cries of "Hurrah!".

"We've been waiting for this marriage for quite a while," said a 30-year-old onlooker, herself to marry next month. "It's a modern marriage, international, not dynastic. He chose someone simple, and discreet, like us."

The 53-year-old playboy prince's lengthy bachelorhood had begun to try the patience of his subjects, who live 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 with poise and style, and locals hope the couple will 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.

The local elite hopes the wedding 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.

"I hope that this day marks a new start for our country," Albert said to the crowd, promising "a new page in the history of the principality."

The couple's subjects had clubbed together to buy them gifts of artwork: a piece by 19th century French sculptor Antoine Bourdelle and a gouache painted by Russian expressionist Wassily Kandinsky.

Later the Monegasque nationals headed down to the port for a braai, a traditional barbecue in swimming champ Charlene's homeland, and drinks with thousands of the wealthy foreign residents.

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

Jarre declared before a crowd of 85,000: "I have the great honour and privilege to welcome on stage a newly wed couple whom we love." One new number was dedicated "to you, Princess Charlene".

The concert wound up to the sound of horns from the yachts in the port echoing out.

"It's a happy day. Monaco has seen enough grief," said an 86-year-old local who still remembers the 1956 nuptials of Albert's father Rainier and Hollywood siren Grace Kelly. "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 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," he said.

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, 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.

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Monaco royal wedding party begins despite rumours (AFP)

MONACO (AFP) – The Mediterranean principality of Monaco on Thursday began three days of royal wedding festivities marked by glamour and romance but also, thanks to last minute rumours, suspense and intrigue.

Californian rockers The Eagles were tuning up to mark the start of the party with a late night concert on the eve of Prince Albert II's Friday civil wedding to statuesque South African swimming champ Charlene Wittstock.

After a 40 minute ceremony, Charlene will become Princess of Monaco at the moment Philippe Narmino, Monaco's senior legal official and president of the state council, pronounces the couple man and wife.

On Saturday, the royal union will be solemnised by a very public Catholic religious ceremony, which the palace hopes will put paid once and for all to rumours that the bride has cold feet.

Star guests at the religious ceremony will include France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, several European, Middle Eastern and African kings and princes, and several leading sportsmen and women.

From the world of fashion Karl Lagerfeld, Giorgio Armani and Naomi Campbell will rub stylishly attired shoulders with former James Bond actor Roger Moore.

It will be the biggest day in Monaco since Albert's father Rainier III married Hollywood actress Grace Kelly in 1956, but preparations have been clouded by claims that Charlene attempted to call it off.

Press reports suggested she had learned of some secret from Albert's private life and decided to head home to South Africa, only to be intercepted by royal aides as she approached Nice airport and persuaded to stay.

The royal house and family friends dismissed the claim.

"These rumours have no other goal than to severely damage the reputation of the monarch and thereby that of Miss Wittstock and severely undermine this happy event," said the palace, which is banking on a wedding tourist boom.

Wittstock's father Mike also weighed in, insisting his daughter had been heading to Paris to do some pre-wedding shopping, and not fleeing home.

Albert, 53, has children with two other women but has yet to produce an heir, a matter of some concern to Monaco constitutionalists, who fear instability should the throne revert to his sister Caroline.

For nine centuries Monaco has been run by the Grimaldi family, the crown passing through the male line. In 2002, fearing Albert would die without an heir, Monaco changed its constitution to allow a princess to inherit.

In the absence of any heir, Monaco would become a French protectorate.

Until Tuesday, all appeared to be going to plan. Charlene's blonde locks, high cheekbones and impressively broad shoulders have graced the covers of magazines and celebrity guests are converging on the Mediterranean enclave.

The wedding was never going to compete for column inches with Britain's marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, but the Monaco brand was looking forward to receiving a rejuvenating shot in the arm.

Palace advisor and television royal wedding commentator Stephane Bern also tried to dismiss the rumours, but not without adding to the speculation by citing rumours of another love child.

"A woman could easily pretend that she's pregnant by a prince," he told Le Parisien. "You can't do a DNA test to check three days before a wedding!"

The Monaco royal clan has an unlucky matrimonial history.

Albert's mother, US film star Grace Kelly -- turned Princess Grace on her marriage to Rainier III -- died in a car crash in 1982. Her daughter Caroline lost her second husband Stephano 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.

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Monaco palace rejects 'ugly rumors' about wedding (AP)

MONACO – An aide to Prince Albert II of Monaco has dismissed as "ugly rumors" news reports the sovereign's fiancee, Charlene Wittstock, tried to call off the wedding and return to her native South Africa.

Christiane Stahl says the reports, which have appeared in several European publications, are "the very incarnation of jealousy."

Stahl told Monaco-Info Wednesday that "only jealousy could push people to start such violent, such ugly rumors just a few days before a marriage."

Albert and Wittstock, a 33-year-old ex-Olympic swimmer, will be married in two-day-long festivities Friday and Saturday.

Stahl said the couple were "affected" by the rumors but added they are concentrating on last-minute preparations.

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'Everything fine' ahead of Monaco wedding (AFP)

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – South African Olympic swimmer Ryk Neethling told local media Wednesday that "everything is fine" ahead of Charlene Wittstock's marriage to Monaco's Prince Albert II, despite rumours of cold feet.

Neethling, a gold medalist friend of Wittstock's who is attending the wedding Friday and Saturday, said he phoned to check on her after South Africa's Times newspaper called him to confirm rumours that she had tried to leave Monaco.

"I just spoke to her assistant and whatever the story is, it's not true. I'll be very surprised if it's true. I called her and asked if everything is okay, and they said everything is fine," he told the paper.

Neethling said he was still flying to Monaco for the wedding.

Monaco's royal palace Tuesday angrily denied an online report by French magazine L'Express that said Wittstock had interrupted her wedding preparations and tried to take a flight home a week ago.

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Rumours cloud build-up to Monaco royal wedding (AFP)

MONACO (AFP) – The flags are out, the fireworks are primed and the dress is under wraps, but it took an ugly rumour of a threatened split to catapult the Monaco royal wedding onto the front pages Wednesday.

Prince Albert II is due to marry statuesque South African swimming champion Charlene Wittstock on Friday in a festival of princely pomp, hoping to save his realm by finally providing it with a legitimate heir.

Reports that Wittstock might be getting cold feet sent shockwaves through the principality, despite fierce denials from the palace and family friends.

"I just spoke to her assistant and whatever the story is, it's not true. I called her and asked if everything is okay, and they said everything is fine," said Ryk Neethling, a fellow South African Olympic swimmer.

"These rumours have no other goal than to severely damage the reputation of the monarch and thereby that of Miss Wittstock and severely undermine this happy event," said the palace, which is banking on a wedding tourist boom.

Albert, 53, has had children with two other women but if he cannot produce a legitimate heir the Grimaldi clan will be forced to cede Monaco to France and lose a territory they have held since 1297.

All appeared to be going to plan. Charlene's blonde locks, high cheekbones and impressively broad shoulders have graced the covers of magazines and celebrity guests are converging on the Mediterranean enclave.

The wedding was never going to compete with Britain's marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton -- now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -- and the Monaco brand was looking due for a rejuvenating shot in the arm.

But the celebrity press gives, and the press takes away. On Tuesday, reports surfaced of a royal falling out. Charlene, it was said, had learned a dark secret about her stocky, balding partner and flown the coop.

The 33-year-old was reported by L'Express magazine's website and a slew of blogs and Twitter postings to have sought a one-way ticket home to South Africa, only to be intercepted in Nice and returned to her gilded cage.

"Albert and Charlene, a marriage in danger," screamed the headline, above a breathless description of the alleged race to the airport laced with heavy but vague insinuations about the nature of the secret:

"Charlene Wittstock had learned a few hours earlier that the private life of the man she was about to marry, who publicly acknowledged in 2005 a child from an adulterous relationship, was not as exemplary as she had imagined."

An outraged palace firmly denied the tale, the royal couple made a sudden inspection visit to the wedding site to be photographed arm-in-arm and their lawyer announced that he intended to sue for defamation.

The couple's media advisor and the commentator on the wedding for French state television, Stephane Bern, also attempted to deny the rumour, but not without adding to the speculation by citing rumours of another love child.

"A woman could easily pretend that she's pregnant by a prince," he told Le Parisien. "You can't do a DNA test to check three days before a wedding!"

The world's press was abuzz on Wednesday with the story -- and, as some cynics noted, also with advance publicity for the event -- and lawyer Thierry Lacoste had suddenly abandoned his threat of legal action.

Lacoste said he had dropped the case when L'Express agreed to withdraw the article, but it was nevertheless still available on the site, unchanged apart from a brief footnote to acknowledge the princely denial.

L'Express told AFP it had not received any writ and stood by the article.

Meanwhile, other media had joined in dropping hints about the supposed secret, and raking over the details of the prince's previous liaisons -- including his siring of illegitimate children with at least two women.

The Monaco royal clan has an unlucky matrimonial history.

Albert's mother, US film star Grace Kelly -- turned Princess Grace on her marriage to Rainier III -- died in a car crash in 1982. Her daughter Caroline lost her second husband Stephano 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.

The clan's latest experiment in matrimony will begin with a civil ceremony on Friday, followed by a concert by electropop veteran Jean-Michel Jarre, then on Saturday by a Catholic religious ceremony and grand ball.

Assuming the bride hasn't already fled.

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Monaco seeks new golden era with princely wedding (Reuters)

MONACO (Reuters) – Tragedy and scandal have chipped away at the fairy tale principality of Monaco but locals hope a long-awaited wedding between Prince Albert and his South African fiancee will revive a faded gem on the Cote d'Azur.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, the 53-year-old ruler of the tiny city-state of Monaco and head of the centuries-old House of Grimaldi, will wed Charlene Wittstock, 33, this weekend in the palace courtyard during a lavish three-day celebration.

Monaco, the sunny stomping ground of the rich, known as much for its Grand Prix car race as for its lack of income tax, is abuzz with the nuptials, which take place just two months after Britain's royal wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton.

Monegasques -- who number only around 8,000 -- hope having a dazzling new princess could revive the fortunes of Monaco, and the gambling center of Monte Carlo, which lives off its image as the epicenter of luxury, fast cars and betting tables.

"Now there will be a princess," sighed Martine Ruelle, who has worked at a Formula One store for 20 years. "It brings a dynamism to Monaco and a very beautiful image."

Saturday's wedding will be the first of a ruling prince in Monaco since Albert's father, Prince Rainier III, married Hollywood actress Grace Kelly in 1956, and locals hope Wittstock could bring back some of the glamour which died alongside Kelly in a 1982 car crash.

Albert met Wittstock -- a statuesque former national swimming champion whose champagne blonde hair and sculptured figure draws comparisons with Kelly -- in 2000 when he presided over a swimming contest in which she was competing.

Keen to dazzle the world with the new couple, the palace is laying on two tons of red carpet, a Giorgio Armani wedding gown, 3,500 guests, including some 20 heads of state, a dinner prepared by chef Alain Ducasse and a hybrid Lexus to whisk away the newlyweds. It has issued a decree encouraging residents to decorate their houses for the event.

Rumors that all was not well with the couple threatened to spoil the mood, however. The palace vehemently denied a report by French weekly L'Express on Tuesday that Wittstock tried to skip town on a one-way flight to South Africa.

The report said it had required "infinite persuasion" by the prince and members of his entourage to convince her to stay.

HAPPY EVENT

For weeks, flags heralding the wedding in Monaco's colors of red and white have waved from Monte Carlo's famous casino and from private homes on Le Rocher, the steep rock from which the palace peers down over the Mediterranean.

At less lofty heights, workers have erected TV screens and barricades for the crowds expected to celebrate the civil union on Friday and the religious wedding on Saturday.

Recent parking tickets have been forgiven and Friday has been made a public holiday.

The smiling couple beams in an official photograph displayed everywhere, from the upscale jewellers, designer boutiques and florists surrounding Monte Carlo's luxury hotels to a humble hardware store on the rue Grimaldi along the port.

"It allows the people to dream," said Patricia Verrando, a bathroom attendant working just steps from the palace.

"They are simple people and they are very close to their subjects. I am very patriotic and one must not say anything bad about the princely family."

The Monegasque -- a title which distinguishes Monaco's citizens from the thousands of others who live, work or play here -- said she planned to cheer the couple along the procession routes and join the public festivities: "It's something I'll recount all my life."

Luxury resorts all bank on a degree of magic to sustain themselves and Monaco is no exception. Ruled since 1297 by the Grimaldi family, the building of the Monaco myth in the modern age began with Kelly, the glamorous film star who gave up her career to marry Rainier, jumpstarting the glory days of this playground for the rich.

Kelly's death was a crushing blow for Monaco, and was followed by a series of divorces and scandals involving the couple's three children.

Prince Albert has admitted fathering a child with a flight attendant from Togo and another with a woman from California, while his sisters Stephanie and Caroline have weathered a storm of media attention over their own rocky love lives.

In another blow, the strong-minded Rainier, who had put his stamp on the principality for decades, died in 2005.

"Finally it's a happy event for Monaco," said Greek hotel worker Ari Nicolaidis, a long-time Monaco resident, of the upcoming wedding. "With this event, they'll try to forget."

"LOVE A PRINCESS STORY"

For some, wedding bells aren't only happy, but lucrative.

After a decade of 8 to 10 percent growth, Monaco's tourism industry received a rude awakening when the economic crisis hit in 2009, causing a 9 percent drop in hotel guests.

Thus far, 2011 has been "very positive," and on track for a full recovery, said a tourism bureau spokesman.

The principality is now promoting VIP weddings, using the slogan "Monaco, global capital of romance." Michel Bouquier, head of the tourism board, said Monaco wants to become "the unique place for exceptional and prestigious weddings."

Monaco's gaming industry has not fared as well. Hotel and casino operator Societe des Bains de Mer, Monaco's biggest employer, is still feeling the effects of the crisis. Gambling revenues fell 14 percent in the fiscal year to May though hotel revenues recovered.

Chief Executive Bernard Lambert said the wedding should enhance business by re-introducing Monaco to people with a crowded choice of global gaming locales from Las Vegas to Macao.

"Everybody loves a princess story," Lambert said. "We have to keep the adrenaline, excitement and glamour in this casino which for me is the only truly European casino left."

While Monaco's excesses are evident -- "My first impression was 'Are we going to afford to sit somewhere and have a Coke?'" joked one British tourist floored by the red Ferraris and silver Rolls Royces around him -- some say it's resting on its laurels and the wedding excitement masks a simmering desperation.

"It's over," said a casino worker who asked not to be named.

High-rollers who once dropped bundles of cash at the tables no longer want to come, put off by what they see as a more vulgar clientele and a sense the glory days are over, he said.

As well as the ubiquitous cruise ship tourists, a new wave of moneyed visitors from emerging markets like Ukraine, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan now come seeking the European high life, and the safety Monaco prides itself on. The tourism office has recently opened offices in Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, and New Delhi.

Prince Albert has also sought to clean up Monaco's reputation as a haven for tax evaders, tightening banking standards and bringing more transparency to the place British novelist Somerset Maugham once called: "a sunny place for shady people."

One thing talked about in the shadows is Prince Albert's motivation for his wedding. Some in Monaco whisper that the groom, described as good at heart but a prisoner to his heritage, is less than enthusiastic.

The marriage and an eventual heir are crucial for the future of Monaco and more about business interests than love, they say.

One Monegasque who preferred to remain anonymous put into succinct context the realities for citizens of a modern monarchy whose economic stability and political security partly rest on efforts to burnish a fairy tale image.

"We need to have dreams but we have to know if it's an illusion."

(Additional reporting by Pierre Thebault; Editing by Catherine Bremer and Paul Casciato)

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Monaco palace slams wedding strife 'rumours' (AFP)

MONACO, France (AFP) – Monaco's royal palace Tuesday angrily denied media rumours that princess-to-be Charlene Wittstock tried to leave the principality in a huff days before her marriage to Prince Albert II.

"A few days before the marriage of His Most Serene Highness Prince Albert with Miss Charlene Wittstock, the princely palace firmly denies the lying allegations," it said, responding to an online report by L'Express magazine.

The news weekly reported on its site lexpress.fr that Wittstock had interrupted preparations for Friday and Saturday's lavish celebrations and prepared to take a flight a week ago for her home country South Africa.

It cited "a tense atmosphere, rumours of discord and a clash between the two fiances" linked to unspecified revelations about Prince Albert's "private life".

It named no sources but said an unnamed newspaper "possesses all the details."

"These rumours have the sole aim of harming the image of the Sovereign and consequently that of Miss Wittstock, and cause serious damage to this happy event," the palace retorted.

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Top-secret Weisz wedding for Bond star Craig (AFP)

NEW YORK (AFP) – James Bond actor Daniel Craig and Oscar-winning fellow-Brit Rachel Weisz have married after a whirlwind six-month romance, her spokesman said Sunday.

Craig, 43, and Weisz, 41, tied the knot Wednesday in an ultra-secret New York ceremony. Reports said only four guests were in attendance, two family friends acting as witnesses, Craig's teenage daughter and Weisz's young son.

Weisz's publicist Megan Moss confirmed to AFP that the couple had tied the knot.

The pair team up in the forthcoming "Dream House", playing a married couple who relocate to a quaint New England town only to discover that their idyllic new home has been the scene of horrific murders.

Craig and Weisz have reportedly been friends for years but began a largely hush-hush romance on the set of the film, which is to hit cinemas in September.

Craig, star of Bond flicks, "Layer Cake," "Munich" and later this year "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," has a daughter from his previous marriage to Scottish actress Fiona Loudon.

He was engaged to long-term film producer girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell for five years before they split in 2010.

Weisz, who won a supporting actress Academy Award for her performance in the 2005 drama "The Constant Gardener," has a son from her nine-year relationship with "Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky.

Their relationship also ended last year.

Craig has had two outings as MI6 agent 007, "Casino Royale" (2006) and the "Quantum of Solace" (2008). He is due to reprise the role in a 23rd Bond instalment, which is being directed by another Brit, Sam Mendes, and is due out in November 2012.

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Top-secret Weisz wedding for Bond star Craig (AFP)

NEW YORK (AFP) – James Bond actor Daniel Craig and Oscar-winning fellow-Brit Rachel Weisz have married after a whirlwind six-month romance, her spokesman said.

Craig, 43, and Weisz, 41, tied the knot Wednesday in an ultra-secret New York ceremony. Reports said only four guests were in attendance, two family friends acting as witnesses, Craig's teenage daughter and Weisz's young son.

Weisz's publicist Megan Moss confirmed to AFP that the couple had tied the knot.

The pair team up in the forthcoming "Dream House", playing a married couple who relocate to a quaint New England town only to discover that their idyllic new home has been the scene of horrific murders.

Craig and Weisz have reportedly been friends for years but began a largely hush-hush romance on the set of the film, which is to hit cinemas in September.

Craig, star of Bond flicks, "Layer Cake," "Munich" and later this year "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," has a daughter from his previous marriage to Scottish actress Fiona Loudon.

He was engaged to long-term film producer girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell for five years before they split in 2010.

Weisz, who won a supporting actress Academy Award for her performance in the 2005 drama "The Constant Gardener," has a son from her nine-year relationship with "Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky.

Their relationship also ended last year.

Craig has had two outings as MI6 agent 007, "Casino Royale" (2006) and the "Quantum of Solace" (2008). He is due to reprise the role in a 23rd Bond instalment, which is being directed by another Brit, Sam Mendes, and is due out in November 2012.

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Top-secret Weisz wedding for Bond star Craig (AFP)

NEW YORK (AFP) – James Bond actor Daniel Craig and Oscar-winning fellow-Brit Rachel Weisz have married after a whirlwind six-month romance, reports said Sunday quoting their publicists.

Craig, 43, and Weisz, 41, tied the knot Wednesday in an ultra-secret New York ceremony. Reports said only four guests were in attendance, two family friends acting as witnesses, Craig's teenage daughter and Weisz's young son.

The pair team up in the forthcoming "Dream House", playing a married couple who relocate to a quaint New England town only to discover that their idyllic new home has been the scene of horrific murders.

Craig and Weisz have reportedly been friends for years but began a largely hush-hush romance on the set of the film, which is to hit cinemas in September.

Craig, star of several Bond flicks, "Layer Cake," "Munich" and later this year "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," has a daughter from his previous marriage to Scottish actress Fiona Loudon.

He was engaged to long-term film producer girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell for five years before they split in 2010.

Weisz, who won a supporting actress Academy Award for her performance in the 2005 drama "The Constant Gardener," has a son from her nine-year relationship with "Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky. Their relationship also ended last year.

Craig has had two outings as MI6 agent 007, "Casino Royale" (2006) and the "Quantum of Solace" (2008). He is due to reprise the role in a 23rd Bond instalment, which is being directed by another Brit, Sam Mendes, and is due out in November 2012.

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UK royal wedding fund raises 1 million pounds (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) – More than one million pounds ($1.62 million) has been contributed to a gift fund set up by Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton ahead of their wedding, the couple's office said on Wednesday.

The Royal Wedding Charitable Gift Fund was set up to allow well-wishers to donate money to the couple's 26 chosen charities instead of sending a wedding gift. About half was donated by members of the public and wedding guests, and a quarter paid directly to the charities concerned.

The remaining quarter came from revenues raised via a television interview with the couple, sales of the Royal Wedding Album and sales of the Mario Testino photograph printed in the wedding brochure.

The 26 charities to benefit were chosen because they were "close to their hearts and reflect the experiences, passions and values of their lives so far," the fund's website said at the time of its launch.

The fund focuses on five causes: Changing Lives through Arts and Sport; Children Fulfilling Their Potential; Help and Care at Home; Support for Service Personnel and Their Families and Conservation for Future Generations.

Some of the charities are based in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, which Prince William's office said reflected the close ties he had established during past trips.

William and Kate, who married in a glittering ceremony on April 29th, are due to fly to Canada at the end of the month in their first official tour abroad. They will then travel to Los Angeles.

The funds will be distributed by the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.

(Writing by Avril Ormsby; Editing by Paul Casciato)

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On wedding day, Hugh Hefner embraces single life (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – On the day he was supposed to get married for the third time, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner said on Saturday he was probably better off staying single.

Hefner, 85, was dumped by 25-year-old fiancee Crystal Harris last weekend after she got jitters about living a tightly regimented life among dozens of attractive young women at the Playboy mansion in Los Angeles.

They were due to tie the knot on the grounds of the Gothic Tudor-style residence on Saturday afternoon, and to spend their honeymoon there.

"This was going to be my wedding day, but life is full of surprises. After all is said & done, staying single is probably for the best," Hefner said on Twitter.

Instead he will spend Saturday night watching "Runaway Bride," the 1999 romantic comedy that starred another real-life runaway bride, Julia Roberts.

For her part, Harris said she was leaving Los Angeles for a relaxing day trip with a Playboy public relations woman.

After Harris left Hefner, taking his beloved cocker spaniel Charlie with her, old friends and lovers descended upon the mansion to offer condolences. They included his second wife, Kimberley Conrad, and her mother; and former girlfriends Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt.

A heartbroken Hefner immersed himself in romantic comedies, hosting screenings of films such as "Sleepless in Seattle" and "50 First Dates" for his coterie of Playmates.

He also rushed out "Runaway Bride" stickers to be affixed to the new issue of Playboy, which features Harris -- a.k.a. "Mrs. Crystal Hefner" -- on the cover.

Hefner said he was blind-sided by the split, and denied a tabloid report that there has been a nasty argument.

Harris told "Entertainment Tonight" that Hefner's mandatory agenda of activities, strict 9 p.m. curfews and his refusal to allow her to leave town to visit friends and family led to her decision to break up with him.

She was also stressed out by meetings with attorneys about the prenuptial contract and other issues, and by the realization that she would have to compete for Hefner's affections.

"I can honestly say I was not the only woman in Hef's life. And I didn't feel comfortable in my heart knowing that, and being able to get married to him," she said.

Hefner, known around the world by his nickname, Hef, has championed sexual freedom and civil rights, published stories challenging McCarthyism and the Vietnam War, and backed gay causes and the legalization of marijuana.

Raised in San Diego by British parents, Harris met Hefner at his annual Halloween party in 2008. She moved in to the mansion after a few weeks and became Playboy's Playmate of the Month in December 2009.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Xavier Briand)

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Hugh Hefner's 25-year old fiancee calls off wedding (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Hugh Hefner's 25-year-old fiancee, Crystal Harris, has called off their California nuptials, the 85-year-old founder of Playboy has announced in a Twitter posting.

"The wedding is off," Hefner tweeted Tuesday. "Crystal has had a change of heart."

Hefner had asked Harris to marry him during a party last Christmas Eve.

A ceremony had been planned for Saturday at Hefner's Playboy Mansion, a luxurious Gothic-style mansion in Beverly Hills.

The wedding would have been Hefner's third.

Harris did not explain why she dumped Hefner, except to say on her Twitter account that the decision came after "much deep reflection and thought" and that she continues to have the "utmost respect for Hef."

Harris's initial Twitter comment on the breakup was more enigmatic: "There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth," she tweeted. "Not going all the way, and not starting."

According to the gossip website TMZ.com, anonymous sources at the Playboy Mansion said the couple had argued on the phone over the weekend and that Harris was no longer living in the house.

Harris also tweeted that she hoped the media would give the formerly betrothed couple the "privacy we deserve during this time."

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