France's richest man, an African prince and an actor who incarnated James Bond are among the glitterati converging on Monaco this week for the much-anticipated nuptials between Prince Albert II and former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock.
It's the first wedding of a reigning prince in the tiny Riviera principality since Philadelphia-born Hollywood icon Grace Kelly walked down the aisle with Albert's late father, Prince Rainier, more than 50 years ago.
The palace long kept the guest list for the two-day-long festivities Friday and Saturday under wraps, presumably for security reasons, but on Thursday released brief biographies of the celebrity guests.
Top names included Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, U.S. soprano Renee Fleming, and Bernard Arnault, the CEO of luxury giant LVMH — and the wealthiest man in France.
Italian designers Roberto Cavalli, whose yacht often plies the waters off the Cote d'Azur, and Giorgio Armani, the man behind Wittstock's wedding dress, and a smattering of supermodels including Naomi Cambell and Karolina Kurkova are also expected.
Rumor had it that members of the royal houses of Spain and Sweden would come, but their names were not on Thursday's list. His Majesty Leruo Molotlegi of the Kingdom of Bakofeng in South Africa is — as is the former president of El Salvador.
A host of athletes are also expected, including swimmers, distance runners, race car drivers and tennis and rugby players. Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, who captivated the world by winning three gold medals at the 1976 summer Olympic Games, will attend.
Wittstock, who was born in Zimbabwe but moved to neighboring South Africa as a child, and Albert have participated in the Olympics — her as a swimmer, him as a bobsledder.
Friday's civil ceremony and Saturday's religious ceremony will be held in the palace, a Renaissance palazzo that's been home to Monaco's ruling Grimaldi dynasty for centuries.
A multicourse gala dinner by three-time triple Michelin starred chef Alain Ducasse will follow the church ceremony.
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