The Royal Wedding of Monaco

Monaco's Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene promised each other love and fidelity in an extravagant religious wedding attended by international celebrities and royalty, bringing new allure to the tiny principality known as stomping ground for the rich and famous.

The Catholic service followed an intimate civil ceremony on Friday, which saw Charlene officially transformed from commoner to Princess. The marriage of the 53-year-old Prince and the 33-year-old Charlene Wittstock, a one-time Olympic swimmer from South Africa, ended Monaco's three-decade wait for a new Princess.

Here's a look. (AFP photo)

Charlene Wittstock succeeds Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly, who wed Albert's father, Prince Rainier III, in 1956. Princess Garce had three children but died in a car accident in 1982. The 33-year-old Wittstock has often been compared to Kelly, an American movie star and famed fashion icon.

In this pic, Princess Charlene of Monaco arrives with her father Michael Kenneth Wittstock for her religious wedding with Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Prince's Palace on July 2, 2011.(AFP photo)

Prince Albert II walks down the aisle for the religious ceremony at the main courtyard in the his Palace.(AFP photo)

The grand wedding in the imposing main courtyard of the royal residence in Monaco (AFP Photo)

With this ring I thee wed: the Prince and his new Princess (AFP photo)

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco offer prayers at the altar (AFP photo)

The bride and groom kiss as they leave the Sainte Devote's Church.(AFP photo)

Just Married: Prince Albert II of Monaco and the new Princess Charlene of Monaco wave from their car at the start of their procession.(AFP photo)

Maid of honour, Donatella Knecht de Massy, with her family. Donatella is married to one of Prince Albert's cousins.(AFP photo)

A general view shows a firework during a sound and light show by French artist Jean-Michel Jarre at Port Hercule as part of the Prince Albert II of Monaco and South African Charlene Wittstock wedding festivities on July 1.(AFP photo)

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco, now man and wife, wave to a cheering crowd. (AFP photo)

Monaco's Opera House, lit up for the wedding banquet. (AFP photo)

Table decorations at the Opera House ahead of the wedding banquet.(AFP photo)

The ceremony on Friday was followed by a sound and light show at Port Hercule.

In this pic, Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife Princess Charlene stand on stage prior to French artist Jean-Michel Jarre's sound and light show at Port Hercule.(AFP photo)

The lighting, the fireworks - Monaco celebrated it's new Princess in style. Day 2 of the 3 day ceremony featured a concert by French musician Jean-Michel Jarre and a laser show.(AFP photo)

A spectacular view of the lighting and the fireworks at Port Hercule, to mark the 2nd day of the 3 day festivities of the royal wedding.(AP photo)

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene wave at their guests from the balcony of the prince's palace after the civil wedding marriage ceremony.(AP photo)

Another royal balcony scene: Prince Albert II kisses Princess Charlene.(AP photo)

One day before the grand ceremony, the couple's civil wedding was held in the palace's sumptuous throne room. It was the same place where Rainier and Grace were married.

Seen here, Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock during their civil wedding in the Throne Room at the Prince's Palace with their guests on July 1, 2011.(AFP photo)

The festivities included a concert by American band, The Eagles, much enjoyed by Prince Albert II and his future bride.(AP photo)

Although Albert, 53, was one of Europe's most eligible bachelors for decades, he long resisted marriage. Many in Monaco, famous for its lax tax laws and glamorous casinos, feared he might never tie the knot.(AFP photo)

Albert acknowledged having fathered two children out of wedlock — a now-teenage daughter with a Californian woman and a son with a flight attendant of Togolese origin.

Before the wedding, the 33-year-old Wittstock said she wanted children of her own.

"I love children and have always wanted to have children of my own," she said on BFM television, sitting next to Albert with a close-lipped, tense smile. "We'll see in the next couple of months or years."