Armani designs Monaco wedding gown

For the wedding at the Place du Palais, the new Princess Charlene of Monaco wore an off-the-shoulder ivory duchesse satin gown with crystal, gold and pearl embroidery on the front and a double cathedral train. She added a long veil in off-white, embroidered silk tulle with a front tier.

Armani’s atelier invested 2,500 hours of work in creating the dress, with 700 hours devoted to the embroidery alone.

After the ceremony, she changed into a second Armani Privé gown, this one a tiered column embellished with Swarovski crystals.

The Princess remained tearful through the ceremony, adding fuel to rumours that she entered into the marriage hesitantly. News sources reported that she attempted to leave Monaco three times before the wedding, even taking refuge in the South African embassy in Paris in a bid to avert the wedding and return home.

Prince Albert is due to submit to DNA tests to answer claims that he has fathered a third and possibly fourth illegitimate child, which would have occurred during his relationship with his new bride.