Less than a week remains before Pierre Casiraghi and his fiancée Beatrice Borromeo say "I do", and in the lead-up to the wedding, the groom's uncle Prince Albert of Monaco has given away some exciting details about the big day.
Pierre and Beatrice will have a civil ceremony on Saturday 25 July in Monaco, followed by a second bigger, religious wedding in the bride's native Italy the following week – on her family's Borromean Islands.
The first service may be a smaller affair, but according to reports, some 700 guests have been invited to the palace.
© Photo: RexPierre Casiraghi and Beatrice Borromeo will have a civil ceremony on Saturday 25 July
Prince Albert, who recently celebrated his ten-year reign, has played a part in the wedding preparations and is planning a "cavagnëtu", or in other words, a garden party, as wished for by the bride and groom.
"The wedding service will be in the palace's salons, then a garden party – because Pierre and Beatrice want it that way," Albert, 57, told People. "It's going to be a summer garden party. A finger-foods-for-lunch thing, with buffet tables and drinks. There'll be places for guests to sit, but it's going to be mostly informal."
Joking that hot dogs may be on the menu, Princess Charlene's husband also opened up about the entertainment.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe good-looking couple have been together for seven years, after meeting at university
"There'll be some local folklore dancers and music," said Albert. "And, we'll play some pétanque. It's a light fete and I will give a toast. I'll try and keep it short and not bore everybody, have them feel I ran on and on, which will be hard because I really like both Pierre and Beatrice."
Sources added that Pierre, who is Princess Caroline's younger son, wanted to hold a picnic-style celebration to reflect his upbringing in Provence. When his father Stefano Casiraghi died when Pierre was three, Caroline raised her children in the French countryside.
"Pierre had this [country-style] upbringing, which he loved," said an insider. "He wanted to have a wedding reminiscent of his childhood and to share that with his bride."
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Albert, pictured with his wife Princess Charlene, will toast the newlyweds
The garden party will be held in a section of the palace that is rarely photographed – a sheltered terrace – which was designed by Albert's late mother Grace Kelly. The actress-turned-princess wanted to reflect American homes with outdoor space and also had a 1960s style swimming pool built for her children to play and swim in.
Pierre and Beatrice, who have been together for seven years, got engaged at the end of last year. Earlier this week the groom-to-be was spotted celebrating his stag do in an opulent Spanish castle just north of Barcelona, where he was joined by friends and family including his uncle Prince Albert.
