Princess Charlene denies she was a reluctant bride

NEW YORK, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Princess Charlene of Monaco insists she was not a reluctant bride when she married Prince Albert II last July, despite rumors claiming she was.

The royal couple sat for their first television interview this week since the wedding. Conducted by Matt Lauer, the interview aired on Wednesday's edition of "Today."

During the chat, Lauer asked the newlyweds if rumors claiming Charlene had second thoughts about the marriage were true.

"Why would you go through all this effort to have this fantastic, you know, couple of days and have our most intimate, dearest friends come and join us for us to be reluctant?" Charlene replied.

"Yeah. You know, I think there were, you know, part jealousy, part people that were envious, or that, you know, wanted to disrupt and did not like the fact that we were finally coming together and marrying," Albert added.

Albert is the 53-year-old son of the late Prince Rainier and late film star Grace Kelly.

He married Charlene Wittstock, a 33-year-old former Olympic swimmer, after six years of dating.