Fresh details have emerged of the forthcoming lavish wedding of South Africa's Charlene Wittstock and Monaco's Prince Albert.

The former Olympic swimmer, 32, and princess-in-waiting is on a visit to her home country and yesterday swam the 38th annual Midmar Mile to raise funds for her Special Olympics Charity Foundation.

During the week, she attended official engagements , avoiding media photographers at all costs.

Her official publicity team told the Sunday Times that photographs taken of Wittstock had to be sanctioned by her fiancé.

She was also forbidden from revealing details of their wedding, relationship and life in the 800-year-old Grimaldi Palace.

But the Sunday Times has established that:

• Her wedding gown is being designed by Italian designer Giorgio Armani;
• The ceremony will be staged over two days in the tiny principality, starting on July 1;
• About 3500 guests are expected to attend;
• On the first day, a glamorous ceremony will take place in the palace throne room, reportedly decorated with crystal chandeliers, red velvet carpet and throne made of wood and gold;
• On the second day, the religious ceremony, at which she will wear her wedding dress, will be held in the palace courtyard, paved with three million white and coloured pebbles, forming huge and spectacular geometrical patterns. It will be broadcast on giant screens; and
• After the wedding, a formal dinner will be hosted in the towering Oceanographic Museum near the palace. The 101-year-old building, atop an 85m cliff, houses exhibitions and collections of sea fauna, model ships and 4000 fish species.

Run by the Grimaldi monarchy since 1297, Monaco became the epitome of glamour in 1956 when Prince Albert's father, Prince Rainier, married legendary film star Grace Kelly.

Wittstock last week spent time with her family and friends in Johannesburg.

This week, she was booked into the luxurious Oyster Box hotel in Um-hlanga, where suites range from R4500 to R7990 a night.

Accompanied by a team of bodyguards, publicists and administration staff, she is in South Africa to raise funds for her foundation.

The foundation has already raised à60000 from charity dinners and breakfasts in Johannesburg and Durban.

On Friday, guests at a packed breakfast gala in Pietermaritzburg paid R300 a head to meet Wittstock. They were allowed to ask questions which had been pre-approved by her staff.

"It's wonderful to be back in South Africa and especially Durban, which is very close to my heart," she said. "I think what I miss the most, for now, is the weather and the landscape."

Guests had expected to catch a glimpse of her large pear-shaped diamond engagement ring, but it had been locked away.

Talking of her swim,Monaco's first crown princess in 30 years said: "It's my first Midmar and I'm very excited."

Wittstock, who swam at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur (1998) and Manchester (2002), met Prince Albert in 2000. The couple began dating in 2006.

She recently revealed on the palace's official website that she was overjoyed by the engagement. Prince Albert proposed in June last year.

"I feel immense joy and emotion, as you can imagine. I also know that this is an important time for the people of Monaco ... I will do all I can to live up to their expectations," she said.

"Over the past four years, I have really got to know Monaco and its different populations. I love this country ... deep in my heart it is already my country."

The principality measures 2km² and has a population of about 32500.