Prince Albert II, Charlene Wittstock Marry In Monaco

Jul 1, 2011, 18:11 by Sarah Long

Monaco's Prince Albert II married Charlene Wittstock in a civil ceremony at the royal palace Friday.

Monaco's 7,618 citizens were invited to watch large screens set up in front of the palace showing the Throne Room ceremony that turned the former South African Olympic swimmer into Princess of Monaco.

"Their witnesses were their thousands of subjects," the Palace said in an official statement, as reported by People.

Attendees included Albert's sisters Princess Caroline, Princess Stephanie, the prince's cousin and chief witness, Christopher Levine (the son of Princess Grace's sister) and Donatella Knecht de Massy, who's another cousin of Albert's and Wittstock's chief witness, according to People.

On Saturday, the new royal couple is holding an elaborate religious wedding ceremony and a star-studded wedding reception, CBS news reports.

The guest list for Saturday's festivities included the kings of Spain, Sweden, Lesotho and Belgium, the presidents of France, Iceland, Ireland, Lebanon, Malta, Germany and Hungary, France's richest man, celebrated opera singers, top models and race car divers, according to CBS.

Albert and his bride met in 2000 at a swim event in Monaco and began dating in 2005.

Charlene succeeds Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, who wed Albert's father Prince Rainier III in 1956 and died in a car accident nearly three decades ago.