(Image source: Daily Mail)
BY JENNIFER MECKLES
You're watching multisource world video news analysis from Newsy.
Its wedding season -- and another royal is tieing the knot! Prince Albert of Monaco will marry his soon-to-be princess: Former South African Olympic Swimmer Charlene Wittstock. But days before the ceremony -- a controversy is brewing.
French newspaper L’Express published this headline:
Albert-Charlene, Peril Sur le Mariage or -- “A marriage in peril.”
Translated it reads:
“It all begins a week ago -- with the hasty departure of the future princess... she decided to board a flight to South Africa. A flight with no return.”
(“Tout commence, il y a une semaine, avec le départ précipité de la future princesse pour l'aéroport de Nice où elle avait décidé d'embarquer sur un vol en direction de l'Afrique du sud. Un vol sans retour.”)
A possible case of cold feet? ABC reports the rumors:
“Its been reported about fresh allegations regarding Prince Albert’’s notorious past. He’s fathered two children out of wedlock, and under Monegasque law - neither child is a legitimate heir.”
Those allegations -- that the prince fathered a third child -- or has one on the way. The details are unclear.
The palace vehemently denies the allegations -- saying quote --"only jealousy could push people to start such violent, such ugly rumors just a few days before a marriage." And Wittstock’s father agrees. The Telegraph transcribes his surprise response on South Africa’s Radio 702
"The only thing that I can think it was, is that Charlene took her mom to Paris on Monday to get shoes and a hat for the wedding and that's the only time she was anywhere near an aeroplane and she was there for a day and back."
However, the L’Express editor stands by his story -- claiming three different sources supplied the details.
Prince Albert is the son of Prince Rainier III and the beloved Grace Kelly -- he assumed the thone in 2005 after his father’s death. He and Whittstock met through Olympic competitions -- she as a swimmer, he -- a blob sledder. (Video: NBC)
The reportedly more than $70 million ceremony is still set for Friday, with a long list of celebrity and royal guests. TIME reports -- Whittlock faces many challenges as she settles into princess life.
“The non-stop comparisons to Grace Kelly... haven't helped. Nor has the pressure of throwing Europe's first royal wedding since Kate Middleton became Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, on April 29... Whether the current reports are true or not, Wittstock will clearly face an uphill battle as she tries to grow into her new role as princess of a land she reportedly doesn't seem particularly fond of.”
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Transcript by Newsy.
