Monaco Prepares For July Royal Wedding

Just when you thought that royal weddings were over for this year after Prince William and Kate Middleton's Westminster Abbey success...there's another opportunity in Europe for royal watchers and fashion folowers to enjoy in early July.

And while the last six months saw most attention on Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, it has now switched to Monaco as the Principality prepares for their big day.

When Prince Rainier - Albert's father - got married in 1956 to Hollywood actress Grace Kelly - Albert's mother - it was hailed as the fairytale wedding of the century by the press at the time as European aristocracy met Hollywood glamour. As well as being a royal, Prince Rainier was the wealthiest bachelor in the world.

Princess Grace's wedding gown was a gift from film studio MGM, and was designed by Helen Rose, while the studio's top hairdresser Sydney Guilaroff attended Princess Grace on the wedding day.

Prince Albert's wife-to-be Charlene Wittstock is from a different background to his mother, she represented South Africa at the Olympic Games in swimming events, and while the hotels in Monaco will be as full as 1956 her choice of fashion is naturally different - and for her wedding gown she has chosen Fashion House Armani.

According to Wikipedia Armani is an Italian fashion house that not only designs, but manufactures and retails haute couture in top boutiques and department stores in London, New York, Paris, Milan and other cities.

Being chosen as the supplier of the wedding dress will give Armani a boost in exposure the world over, as the press, celebrity magazines, television and internet will report on the ceremony extensively.

Also vying to be suppliers will be the companies who provide other aspects of a wedding. It's already being reported for example that the top champagne houses will be wanting to be the official champagne. Also receiving a boost in the fashion world will be the tailor of Prince Albert's wedding atire, along with sisters Stephanie and Caroline.

Monaco is no stranger to huge sponsorship by leading brands. The Grand Prix held every May is the jewel in the crown of the F1 season, and Monaco Grand Prix tickets are sought after by those who follow motorsports. Even with the banning of tobacco sponsorship companies spend millions on having their logos feature on part of an F1 car, while the streets surrounding the well known Monte Carlo hotels are awash with high price advertising hoardings with the companies hoping that the tens of millions of people watching worldwide will see them.

In the rest of the Principality all the top fashion companies have retail outlets, and with more millionaires per square mile living there than anywhere else in the world, there are plenty of residents and visitors who can afford the best that top companies like Cartier and Luis Vuitton are offering. And for those who are resident all the major banks have branches, most of them are located in Monte Carlo, and at a minimum deposit of 300,000 Euros to open an account with one of the banks in Monaco it's only the wealthy who can afford to move there or shop in the fashion boutiques.

2011 is quite a year for royal weddings, with Prince William, son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, having already tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in London on Friday 29 April that drew a worldwide television audience, where fashion houses and wedding designers hoped to be chosen, with Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock's wedding in Monaco just weeks away there will inevitably be comparisons drawn on what the two brides wore.

It could be some time before Europe sees two such glamorous weddings in one year - the fashion world would like two every year, it would certainly be good for their business prospects.