Prince Albert of Monaco: Engagement Brings End To Colorful Bachelorhood

NEW YORK (CBS) Prince Albert of Monaco is engaged to former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock, the news was officially announced by the palace Wednesday.

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The 52-year-old prince and ruler of Monaco has never been married, but has long been seen in the company of actresses and famous models. He has had a long line of past flings, even fathering children.

In the past, Prince Albert has been linked to such famous names as Naomi Campbell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields and Claudia Schiffer.

According to the Associated Press, the ruler was involved with Nicole Coste, a flight attendant from Togo and American Tamara Rotolo, a former waitress, with whom Prince Albert had an affair with in 1991 when she vacationed on the Cote d'Azur.

Albert's prior flings resulted in two children for the ruler: A 6-year-old son named Alexandre Coste and an 18-year-old daughter named Jazmin Grace Rotolo, born on Mar. 4, 1992.

In 2005, Prince Albert told The New York Times that other women have made similar claims. "I don't know of any others that could be true," he said. So far, none have come forward.

Prince Albert did not officially recognize paternity of his 18-year-old American daughter until just three years ago. He had planned to keep her a secret until she reached adulthood, but he said at the time that "the situation had become untenable for her."

Neither of the two children from Prince Albert's prior flings will be able to take the throne, and reportedly cannot bear the Grimaldi family name. Parliament in 2002 changed the constitution to allow one of his sisters' sons to take the throne if he never produces an heir.

The couple have not publicly announced if they are expecting to have any children, but if Wittstock is pregnant before her marriage to Prince Albert, it wouldn't be a surprise.

Asked by The Associated Press whether Wittstock might already be pregnant, Palace spokesperson Laetitia Pierrat said: "Honestly, I don't think so." She added she wasn't privy to such private matters, but if Wittstock were, a formal announcement would probably have been made.

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