Prince Albert of Monaco has proposed to his girlfriend Charlene Wittstock.

The Palace of Monaco officially announced the engagement of HSH Prince Albert II with Ms Charlene Wittstock on June 23rd. This is the first marriage for the 52-year-old prince and for Charlene, 32.

His Highness is the son of the late Prince Rainier III and the American actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly. Albert succeeded to the throne upon Rainier’s death in July 2005.

Charlene Lynette Wittstock is of South African nationality. Born on January 25th, 1978 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, she is a former Olympic swimmer and described by the Palace’s official statement as ‘a youth worker’.

Charlene’s engagement ring is as stunning and large as that of Albert’s mother, Princess Grace:

Stylelist.com says:

Her pear-shaped engagement ring, set in unique gray gold, is the “Tethys” design created by Parisian jeweler Maison Repossi. The sparkler’s huge center stone is embellished with round diamond brilliants.

Many congratulations to them both!

Princess Charlotte Louise Juliette of Monaco (1898 – 1977), mother of Prince Rainier III ca. 1921 Read more…

We all know how good the residents of Monaco have it. They have sun, warmth, clear blue skies, and plenty of time in which to soak it all up.

Jilly Bennett, a photographer who has adored dogs all her life and has judged several Championship Shows, now brings us the scoop on how the canines of Monaco live it up.

At her blog Riviera Dogs, Jilly shows us the adorable furry faces that scamper through the luxurious Riviera on a daily basis.

Jilly gets a first-hand look through her lens and through her business, Pension Milou. This doggie hotel provides luxury accommodations for pups whose owners must travel but cannot take their pet with them.

According to Jilly:

Pension Milou is a ‘pension familiale’ for dogs, that is to say, all the dogs live in the house with me, sharing my life, where they are cared for professionally and with a lot of love thrown in. When you go away on holiday or business, you know your dog will be looked after in an environment just like home.

Adorable! Check it out at PensionMilou.com

Albert, you’ve got some ‘splaining to do.

The Sovereign Prince of Monaco recently announced that he will not be going ahead with plans to expand the principality.

The Prince, who promotes the green life and even drives an electric car, had expressed concerns about the principality’s expansion into the sea and the environmental implications. He was, however, once an enthusiastic backer of the idea of “reclaiming” land from the sea as a way to increase prosperity for Monaco. The principality cannot possibly expand anywhere else except into the Mediterranean, so it seemed like the thing to do.

Now with the world’s economic chaos on top of environmental concerns, the deal’s off.

“Basically, it has all been a big waste of time and money. Albert has a lot of explaining to do,” complained a lawyer associated with a French construction group that had spent £5m on engineering studies.

They’re a little cranky.

While he’s not irritating developers, Prince Albert is frustrating his subjects with a serious lack of wedding action. Charlene Wittstock, his companion of the last couple of years, has been reported to have immersed herself in learning the French language in order to prepare for a future role as a Sovereign Princess. Don’t hold your breath, though.

Speaking of Europe, here’s a link to the “Victory in Europe” series featured at the Times. Because I feel like it.

This article – based on The Times Online’s report on Monaco expansion.