Newsmakers

Newsmakers

Monaco’s Prince Albert to wed ex-Olympian

PARIS

Prince Albert of Monaco is engaged to marry Charlene Wittstock, a former Olympic swimmer for South Africa, a union that will give this wealthy Mediterranean principality its first crown princess since American Grace Kelly died in 1982.

The palace announced the engagement of “His Serene Highness,” 52, and Wittstock, 32, who also worked as a school teacher before moving to Monaco. The statement Wednesday did not indicate a wedding date but put to rest months of speculation that the two longtime companions would tie the knot.

Albert met the willowy blonde Wittstock in 2000 when she traveled to Monaco for a swimming competition, said Laetitia Pierrat, a palace spokeswoman. Wittstock swam for South Africa at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, though she won no medals. In the All Africa Games the year before, she won gold in the 100-meter freestyle. Since 2006, Wittstock has lived in the principality, Pierrat said.

It will be the first marriage of a reigning prince since Hollywood actress Grace Kelly married Albert’s father, Prince Rainier III, to massive hoopla in 1956. Princess Grace died in a car accident in 1982, casting a pall of tragedy over the family, but remains a style icon.

Biden’s wife to guest on ‘Army Wives’

NEW YORK

Lifetime network’s “Army Wives” is set to welcome the wife of Vice President Joe Biden in a future episode.

The network announced Wednesday that Jill Biden will make a guest appearance on the military drama to raise awareness of the contributions by U.S. men and women in uniform as well as their families.

She will appear as herself in the episode, titled “Mud, Sweat and Tears.” She visits the show’s Fort Marshall to kick off the annual Fun Run and while there meets with military spouses. A number of real Army wives will be featured in the episode, which is scheduled to air Aug. 15. “Army Wives” stars Kim Delaney and Catherine Bell.

CNN hires Spitzer, Parker for program

NEW YORK

CNN says it’s hiring former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and conservative columnist Kathleen Parker to co-host a round-table talk show for its struggling prime-time lineup.

Parker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist whose column appears in more than 400 newspapers.

Spitzer left the governor’s mansion in disgrace two years ago after a prostitution scandal.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.