On Friday, July 1, 2022, the Palais Princier de Monaco released a new photo of Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco on the occasion of their 11th wedding anniversary.

The image, photographed by Mr. Eric Mathon, was taken in the back garden of the Palais.

On Wednesday, June 23, 2010, the Palais Princier de Monaco announced the engagement of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II and Miss Charlene Lynette Wittstock, an Olympian swimmer from South Africa.

On July 1, 2011, at 5 P.M. the couple were civilly married in the Throne Room at the Palais Princier. The two witnesses were Mrs. Donatella Knecht de Massy and Mr. Chris Levine (Prince Albert II’s first cousin) with Mr. Philippe Narmino conducting the civil marriage.

After the civil ceremony, the princely waved to the crowds from the balcony of the Salon des Glaces at the Palais Princier. After a reception on the Place du Palais Princier with hundreds of Monégasques and government officials, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene attended a private cocktail reception for friends and family at the Hermitage hotel in Monte-Carlo.

Later in the evening, the princely couple along with hundreds of people from around the world arrived at Port Hercule in Monte-Carlo to attend a concert by French artist, Jean-Michel Jarre, in honor of the princely wedding.

The couple were married in a religious ceremony held in the courtyard of the Palais Princier de Monaco on July 2, 2011. Guests in attendance included Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, His Royal Highness Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Duke and Duchess of Brabant (now Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians), Their Royal Highnesses Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark, Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses Prince Georg Friedrich and Princesss Sophie of Prussia, The Duke and Duchess of Vendôme, The Duke and Duchess of Castro (Bourbon-Two Sicilies), and a then Their Royal Highnesses Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima of Oranje (not Orange) to name a few.

By the way, I love that the couple used the same colors and background tones in their 2010 engagement photo; moreover, the image was taken not too far from where their princely couple’s engagement photo was taken twelve years ago. 🙂