Princess defends husband in court

Princess Caroline of Monaco took to the witness box yesterday to defend her husband against claims he beat up a hotel manager in a row over a loud disco.

By The Newsroom

Published 13th Jan 2010, 20:34 BST

Updated 13th Jan 2010, 20:35 BST

The princess, 52, only agreed to give evidence in the German court after demanding special conditions that the media should be kept at least three yards from her at all times.

Her husband Prince Ernst August of Hannover, a distant relative of the Queen, is being retried on charges of causing serious bodily harm in the 2000 incident in Kenya. The princess, clad in black, told the court in English that her husband "got angry" with Josef Brunlehner, owner of a hotel on Lamu Island, and slapped him twice with an open hand after becoming irritated at the noise from a disco.

"I would say it was not very strong. It was more symbolic," Caroline, 52, testified.

August, 55, great-grandson of the last German emperor, Wilhelm II, is being retried after being convicted in 2004 and fined 450,000.

He does not deny the assault but wants the charge and sentence reduced.