February 12, 2010

Katie Price is the belle of the ball in her Disney-esque gown as she attends Vienna Opera Ball

As the biggest night in Austria's social calendar, the annual Vienna Opera Ball draws royalty and aristocrats from around the continent to Austria's capital.
So when Katie Price waltzed into the Vienna State Opera House last night, the elite in attendance could have been forgiven for wondering just how a glamour model scored an invite to such a prestigious event.
Wearing a baby blue strapless ballgown and dripping with diamonds, Jordan lived out her princess fantasies as she arrived as the guests of Austrian entrepreneurs Irene and Alexander Mayer.
Belle of the ball: Katie Price steals the limelight in her baby blue strapless ballgown and diamonds as she arrives at the Vienna Opera Ball at the Vienna State Opera House last night
Fortunately for Price, she had the limelight all to herself after fellow celebrity guest Lindsay Lohan failed to show after reportedly missing her flight from Los Angeles.
Lohan was offered $150,000 to be the date of veteran Austrian tycoon Richard Lugner, who famously pays a different female celebrity to be his date at the ball every year.
Lugner originally invited Price to be his date, but 'un-invited' her after she broke his embargo of telling the media about her invite before his official announcement on January 20.
Instead, the Mayers stepped forward and invited Price as their guests and asked the 31-year-old to spend time with them in Vienna ahead of the lavish event.
Katie Price arrives at the Vienna State Opera Ball
Near miss: Price checks her low-cut dress is still covering her famous assets

Looking like her outfit had been inspired by a Disney princess, Price gave the guests - including Austrian president Heinz Fischer and his wife Margit - an eyeful of her surgically-enhanced décolletage in her low-cut dress.
Throughout the evening, a nervous Price was seen adjusting her dress over fears her cleavage may fall out.

 
Also on her arm was German playboy and nightclub tycoon Marcus Prinz von Anhalt, the 'adopted' son of Zsa Zsa Gabor and her husband Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt.
Newlywed Price, who married cagefighter Alex Reid in Las Vegas only a week ago, arrived solo in Vienna on Wednesday.
Friends in high places: Price shared a laugh with her new Austrian friends, including Alexander Meyer (right)
Katie Price with her hosts Irene (R.) and Alexander Mayer and Prince Marcus von Anhalt (2nd from L)
Quadruple date: Price arrived with (L-R) Marcus Prinz von Anhalt, Alexander and Irene Mayer
Her arrival in Austria came as she defended her parenting skills after ex-husband Peter Andre publicly revealed his disapproval of Price putting make-up and false eyelashes on their two-year-old daughter Princess's face.
During her brief trip to the city, the horse-mad model paid a visit to the Spanish riding school.
Price said: 'I’ve heard a lot about what is probably the most important ball in Europe.
'I’m really looking forward to dancing the Viennese waltz with my friends and getting to know Austria.
'I’m an ambitious dressage rider and can’t wait to see the Lipizzaner at Vienna’s Spanish Riding School.'
Price was invited by the Mayers after meeting them several times at charity events back in Britain.
Retail mogul Lugner, 77, claimed Lohan had driven him crazy with her demands before she informed him she wouldn't be able to make it.
High society: Austrian President Heinz Fischer and his wife Margit (left) and Richard Lugner with his girlfriend Anastasia 'Katzi' Sokol, who was a last minute replacement for Lindsay Lohan
He told the Austrian press:'She refuses to take a scheduled flight and told me I must get a private jet sorted out for her. I managed to book an eight-seat jet, but she refused to accept my offer.
'She claimed it would be too uncomfortable and she would not be able to get any sleep when travelling in it. I haven’t got a choice, I suppose.'
Instead, Lugner ended up bringing his significantly younger girlfriend Anastasia 'Katzi' Sokol.
Lohan would have been the latest in a long line of famous women to attend the Vienna Opera Ball.

Every year since 1992, millionaire Lugner has paid a female celebrity to be his escort to the prestigious ball, the highlight of Austria's social calendar.
Previous escorts included Nicollette Sheridan (2009), Dita Von Teese (2008), Paris Hilton (2007), Raquel Welch (1998) and Sophia Loren (1995).
Enlarge   People dance at the traditional Opera Ball in Vienna
Event of the year: The cream of Austria's society attended the ball at the State Opera House

Dancers enter the floor during the opening ceremony of the traditional Opera Ball
Dancing queens: Glamorous dancers make a grand entrance

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