Monaco newlyweds lunch with Zuma on S.Africa visit (AFP)

DURBAN, South Africa (AFP) – Monaco's newlyweds Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene lunched with President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday, smiling for the cameras as they tried to move past "runaway bride" rumours.

After their weekend wedding in the Mediterranean principality, they arrived Tuesday in Durban, where Charlene used to train for South Africa's Olympic swim team.

The trip is part honeymoon, part business.

Albert is a member of the International Olympic Committee, which is meeting in Durban to vote Wednesday on the venue for the 2018 Winter Games.

Zuma greeted them Tuesday evening at the official opening of the session, where Charlene's appearance in a black gown was splashed across South African media.

The polygamist president, who has four current wives, teased Albert about adhering to South Africa's tradition of grooms giving cattle to the bride's family, a gift known as lobola.

"She has again done us proud by bringing us the royal in-laws from Monaco," Zuma said in welcoming Charlene.

"We usually say you can't get a wife free of charge, you must pay lobola -- the cattle," Zuma joked.

Zuma invited the couple to lunch with him Wednesday at King's House, the presidential residence in Durban, a stately cream-coloured building with columns and balconies overlooking the sea and Moses Mabhida Stadium, built for the 2010 World Cup.

The couple arrived all smiles for the assembled press, with Charlene in a white crochet dress, greeting reporters' questions with a simple "Fine, how are you?"

They shook hands with Zuma and his third wife Thobeka Madiba Zuma, smiled for the cameras and went inside for a late lunch.

"I'm very pleased that there has been this courtesy call. I had to pay for the fact that I did not go to the wedding," Zuma joked after the meal. Zuma was at the African Union summit last week and sent his tourism minister to the wedding in his place.

On their way out, Albert gave Charlene a kiss on the cheek -- at the request of waiting reporters -- before they left in separate cars.

Once the official Olympics business is finished, the couple are throwing a reception Thursday for 400 guests at the five-star Oyster Box hotel in the resort town of Umhlanga, just north of Durban.

The town has draped its streetposts with the flags of Monaco and South Africa. Guests at the hotel have gushed to South African media about their chance encounters with Charlene.

"My golly, it had been only about 20 seconds after walking out that I saw this lovely tall person, from the rear. She then turned around and I saw it was Charlene," 90-year-old Mavis Warder-Griffin told The Star newspaper.

"She said hello and put her hand out to shake mine. It was really unbelievable, all a lovely, lovely surprise. What a delightful person. It was one of those unexpected events, and I am on cloud nine. I don't think I'll wash my hands, I?ve touched royalty."

Her daughter Meryl Marshall was also enthralled, saying: "Her beauty took my breath away. She was warm and friendly and will be a wonderful ambassador for South Africa."

Charlene's warm reception home has largely overshadowed reports of rumours that she had tried to flee to South Africa before the wedding, with newspapers instead running stories about "our royal couple".

Palace officials in Monaco said there had been a "hiccup" in the wedding preparations when Charlene learned that Albert may face demands for a paternity test after a claim by a former lover.

Monaco newlyweds prepare for S.Africa trip (AFP)

MONACO (AFP) – Newlyweds Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco were preparing a trip to the bride's South African homeland, as her father dismissed reports of a pre-wedding rift.

The couple were formally wed on Friday in a civil service and said "I do" for a second time on Saturday in front of 800 royal and celebrity guests in a lavish ceremony rounded off by fireworks and a ball for 200 friends.

A wedding brunch followed on Sunday in the private gardens of the tiny principality's royal palace, prepared by French chef and creator of the main wedding feast, Alain Ducasse.

The royal couple were on Tuesday due to fly to Durban where 33-year-old Charlene trained as a swimmer and where the prince, 53, was due to attend a meeting of the International Olympic Committee of which he is a member.

The committee will on Wednesday vote to select the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

In a statement Sunday ahead of the session, South African President Jacob Zuma said: "It is particularly special for us to welcome the newlyweds ... to Princess Charlene's home country.

"We continue to treasure the pride Princess Charlene brought to South Africa as an Olympic swimmer."

The princess' father Mike Wittstock meanwhile dismissed reports that the wedding preparations had been disrupted by a last-minute crisis, in an interview with South Africa's Sunday Times newspaper paper.

The weekend's pageantry had been dimmed by media reports of rumours that the bride-to-be had tried to flee to South Africa earlier in the week.

Palace officials said only that there had been a "hiccup" in the wedding preparations when Charlene learned that Albert may face demands for a paternity test after a claim by a former lover.

"I am so disappointed that people believe this nonsense," Wittstock told the newspaper.

"I am also very disappointed in the South African media who picked up on the story and ran with it before finding out the facts for themselves. It's rubbish.

"I was with them the entire time until late at night. It did not happen," he said in an interview given late Friday night.

He also spoke of his delight at his daughter's royal marriage.

"It's just such a proud moment that I cannot describe. We are so happy for them," he said.

"It feels as if we've just won the World Cup."

The wedding was broadcast live on South African television, and the Sunday Times splashed across its front page a photo of Charlene in her veil and gown, captioned "Fairy Tale".

The prince paid tribute to his new wife during their wedding dinner on Saturday evening, telling his bride: "Charlene, thank you for putting up with my busy schedule, my absence sometimes..."

Smiling, he said: "You are an incredible woman ... and patient with me at times!" prompting laughter from guests.

Monaco officials on Sunday hailed the success of the celebrations.

Tourism chief Michel Bouquier summed up the event as glamourous but at the same time warm-hearted, describing the wedding as "top class."

No details of the couple's honeymoon plans are to be made public, but a further party was planned on Thursday in Durban, palace officials said.

And in Monaco, the wait for a royal heir has begun.

"The main thing is that the marriage took place," said a local doctor who did not want to be named.

"What we need now is an heir, that's the only thing Monegasques are interested in right now."