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Post by paca on Jun 29, 2011 6:41:25 GMT -5
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Post by MyAdia on Jun 29, 2011 8:17:21 GMT -5
Thanks for all the above links Paca! I'll catch up reading them all later.
I moved your links to articles about this latest incident (Charlene wanting to leave, Albert's infidelities - to the other thread). Post any other information about this latest fisco there
The irony is Charlene's little escape is what started this all - even though I believe with every fiber in my being her "escape" was not an indication to call off the wedding, but one of her normal pouting temper tantrum that she has used successfully in the past with Sucker AL to get what she wants, I have always said that Conlene's greed for more and more attention will be her downfall. It would be the ultimate karma if the wedding is called off because of her own antics.
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Post by MyAdia on Jun 29, 2011 9:15:41 GMT -5
Please post or discuss any specific information about the bombshell (Albert's possible child and Charlene's supposedly escape) that was first reported on Eringer's blog an then with the L'Express article in this thread:Eringer: Is Charlene Being Held Against Her Will?
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Post by paca on Jun 29, 2011 9:34:50 GMT -5
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Post by MyAdia on Jun 29, 2011 12:01:50 GMT -5
Paca, they are stating that Albert will wear a girdle for his wedding - didn't we say this! LMAO! Didn't we old-timers predict this - this wedding was going to make Monaco the laughing stock of the world. And, this is only the beginning. The irony is that the morons Albert and Charlene thought they were just so smart and smug with their little photo opp yesterday, but they have no idea that their little photo opp will be a HUGE backfire because that photo opp first of all shows that unlike some who tried to paint her as one - Charlene Witttock is not the victim. with full information, she has chosen to enter this marriage and even put on a show to prove it. Second, it shows that Albert absolutely does not give a damn about the people in Monaco. He is willing to make his country a laughing stock just so that he can have his big big "event" - well actually Albert called it a party Charlene called it an event. In time the truth will reveal itself - I said this from the days when those certifiable loonies harassed us relentless for not drinking the Kool-aid about his fairy tale couple.
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Post by hibou on Jun 29, 2011 12:09:57 GMT -5
I'm very glad Grace and Rainier aren't around to see this fiasco. Then again if they were, there wouldn't be one.
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Post by scout on Jun 29, 2011 12:25:47 GMT -5
I can't believe how out of control this whole thing has spun. But I guess that is what happens when two dimwits try to pull a con on the whole world.
Are there any adults in the Grimaldi family who will confront Albert and tell him it's over. Cancel the wedding and get out of town. You are a laughingstock.
This is a disaster.
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Post by emmeline on Jun 29, 2011 12:35:11 GMT -5
I can't believe how out of control this whole thing has spun. But I guess that is what happens when two dimwits try to pull a con on the whole world. Are there any adults in the Grimaldi family who will confront Albert and tell him it's over. Cancel the wedding and get out of town. You are a laughingstock. This is a disaster. I was hoping that adult is/was Caroline, but i guess she will just stand there, seeing how everything collapses around Albert and his trashy fiancee. And then, maybe she'll do something.
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Post by smt on Jun 29, 2011 12:37:28 GMT -5
Yup ... I suggested that he wear a girdle. And she will wear his "crown jewels" in her tiara!
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Post by paca on Jun 29, 2011 13:13:29 GMT -5
Paca, they are stating that Albert will wear a girdle for his wedding - didn't we say this! LMAO! Didn't we old-timers predict this - this wedding was going to make Monaco the laughing stock of the world. And, this is only the beginning. The irony is that the morons Albert and Charlene thought they were just so smart and smug with their little photo opp yesterday, but they have no idea that their little photo opp will be a HUGE backfire because that photo opp first of all shows that unlike some who tried to paint her as one - Charlene Witttock is not the victim. with full information, she has chosen to enter this marriage and even put on a show to prove it. Second, it shows that Albert absolutely does not give a damn about the people in Monaco. He is willing to make his country a laughing stock just so that he can have his big big "event" - well actually Albert called it a party Charlene called it an event. In time the truth will reveal itself - I said this from the days when those certifiable loonies harassed us relentless for not drinking the Kool-aid about his fairy tale couple. the article is made up satire, I only posted it to exemplify what is coming...plus I thought it is fun to read especially with the note where they won't be ordering as it is not expensive enough for Monaco
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Post by margarita on Jun 29, 2011 15:34:50 GMT -5
I can't believe how out of control this whole thing has spun. But I guess that is what happens when two dimwits try to pull a con on the whole world. Are there any adults in the Grimaldi family who will confront Albert and tell him it's over. Cancel the wedding and get out of town. You are a laughingstock. This is a disaster. I was hoping that adult is/was Caroline, but i guess she will just stand there, seeing how everything collapses around Albert and his trashy fiancee. And then, maybe she'll do something. How to save a drowning man? Wait until he is really weak and almost sinking - if you try to rescue him before ... he will probably drag you down. (That's what I was tought in school ;-) sometimes teachers teach useful things ;-))
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Post by royalpauper on Jun 29, 2011 17:02:31 GMT -5
Monaco seeks new golden era with princely wedding
by REUTERS, 2 hours 54 minutes ago 86 Comments Post a Comment Read More from This Author ยป Report Abuse ShareretweetEmailPrint
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. A flag announcing the wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and his fiancee Charlene Wittstock is seen with Monaco Palace in the background. (Reuters) 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."
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Post by royalpauper on Jun 29, 2011 17:11:12 GMT -5
It is really sad that all the money they put into manufacturing the "Perfect Princess" and the money they put into this production of tacky PR advertisement for Monaco tourism (aka. wedding) didn't bring any interest in Monaco for the last 12 months until now (two days before the wedding). Instead, the rumors of Albert's infidelities and existence of the third illegitimate child (14 months old! ) had put Monaco on the front pages!!! They (The Palace) could have saved all this money and should have gathered all Albert's children and baby mamas and have a big picnic. That would be more interesting to watch then this plastic, brain dead woman and fat, bold loser Prince getting married!
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Post by MyAdia on Jun 29, 2011 17:13:53 GMT -5
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." Thanks Royal Pauper! One of the thing that I have always stated is that the people in Monaco wanted to see Albert happily married and not just married. Albert doesn't get that. He allowed his moronic advisers to convince him that ANY marriage will revive the economy and make his people happy. Albert again has given away his power - he had the power to marry for love. Charlene was there hanging on and the media had been promoting her and Albert thought that was enough. Good lawd, this man always have to learn things the hard way! I really believe Albert's people will dance in the streets if he called off this farce and instead dedicated his time having a love affair with his country - for a change - instead of a woman (or some think a man).
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Post by countess on Jun 29, 2011 19:27:45 GMT -5
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
well well well trashlene is certainly already making her mark!
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Post by sandsla on Jun 29, 2011 19:43:25 GMT -5
Thanks for all the above links Paca! I'll catch up reading them all later. I moved your links to articles about this latest incident (Charlene wanting to leave, Albert's infidelities - to the other thread). Post any other information about this latest fisco there The irony is Charlene's little escape is what started this all - even though I believe with every fiber in my being her "escape" was not an indication to call off the wedding, but one of her normal pouting temper tantrum that she has used successfully in the past with Sucker AL to get what she wants, I have always said that Conlene's greed for more and more attention will be her downfall. It would be the ultimate karma if the wedding is called off because of her own antics. I totally agree with you--kind of like I explained in another posts....Charlene is all about drama...especially to get what she wants--she is juvenile. Charlene should have already learned from Diana's mistakes...those tactics did not turn out well for her! I use to see Charles in his Red Royal Helicopter fly over my flat "every weekend" on his way to see Camilla, leaving Diana home to her drama. I don't think it's a real feather in Charles' cap either, but sometimes you wonder if you can blame him--Diana knew the score when she married him, just like Charlene knows it!
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Post by sandsla on Jun 29, 2011 19:57:50 GMT -5
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." Thanks Royal Pauper! One of the thing that I have always stated is that the people in Monaco wanted to see Albert happily married and not just married. Albert doesn't get that. He allowed his moronic advisers to convince him that ANY marriage will revive the economy and make his people happy. Albert again has given away his power - he had the power to marry for love. Charlene was there hanging on and the media had been promoting her and Albert thought that was enough. Good lawd, this man always have to learn things the hard way!I really believe Albert's people will dance in the streets if he called off this farce and instead dedicated his time having a love affair with his country - for a change - instead of a woman (or some think a man). [/b] If Albert dumps her ever--those Monegasque people are not going to want to see her anywhere near Monaco! Albert better get that, and since she knows she is not liked there....why on earth would she want to stay! Albert just has to keep going down the road to disaster, no matter what roadblocks and signs he has to hurdle tell him he needs to be making a UTURN! I think the Moneqasque would think it was worth every penny if it was Charlene's farewell going away party! ;D They probably would have pitched in themselves!
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Post by sandsla on Jun 29, 2011 20:04:31 GMT -5
It is really sad that all the money they put into manufacturing the "Perfect Princess" and the money they put into this production of tacky PR advertisement for Monaco tourism (aka. wedding) didn't bring any interest in Monaco for the last 12 months until now (two days before the wedding). Instead, the rumors of Albert's infidelities and existence of the third illegitimate child (14 months old! ) had put Monaco on the front pages!!! They (The Palace) could have saved all this money and should have gathered all Albert's children and baby mamas and have a big picnic. That would be more interesting to watch then this plastic, brain dead woman and fat, bold loser Prince getting married! That's right! And what I've said from the beginning is Charlene (because of who she is, and what she is about) just points straight to Albert's problems in his pasts--she sure doesn't distract from it--she confirms and ebodies it!
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Post by sandsla on Jun 29, 2011 20:11:20 GMT -5
I was hoping that adult is/was Caroline, but i guess she will just stand there, seeing how everything collapses around Albert and his trashy fiancee. And then, maybe she'll do something. How to save a drowning man? Wait until he is really weak and almost sinking - if you try to rescue him before ... he will probably drag you down. (That's what I was tought in school ;-) sometimes teachers teach useful things ;-)) That's perfect! But then Charlene was the one that has been drowning from the beginning there, in spite of her being a swimmer! ;D And she has forever pulled Albert down! Now the two of them are going to take everyone down with them!
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Post by royalpauper on Jun 29, 2011 21:32:25 GMT -5
Just saw Entertainment Tonight's five seconds report on Monaco's upcoming wedding. There was "Monaco's Runaway Bride" splashed above Albert and WC's engagement picture followed with a short statement from the Palace that the rumor is untrue and a result of "an utter jealousy" (they didn't say from whom : and that everything is OK. After that Nancy O'Dell just rolled her eyes and say "let's watch and see". That was all...literary a five seconds....Still no one cares!
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