Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco and Oum Keltoum Boufares begin their wedding celebrations in Rabat

There were lavish celebrations in the city of Rabat on Thursday when Prince Moulay Rachid, brother of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, married Oum Keltoum Boufares. The prince and his 27-year-old fiancée, whose name had previously been unknown, began their three-day wedding festivities with a henna ceremony at the royal palace.

Royal watchers were excited to learn several details about the bride-to-be when the couple's engagement was announced in June, although her name has not been released until now. Marrakesh-born Oum, whose background is in international trade, is the daughter of Moulay Mamoun Boufares, who was the governor of Marrakech when King Mohammed VI ascended the throne in July 1999.

Left to right: King Mohammed VI, Moulay Hassan, Prince Moulay Rachid, Oum Keltoum Boufares, Princess Lalla Salma and Lalla Khadija

A photo from the royal couple's henna ceremony shows Oum dressed in a bejewelled emerald kaftan with 44-year-old Prince Moulay Rachid and her new in-laws King Mohammed VI and

and their two children Moulay Hassan and Lalla Khadija.Another image features extended members of the Morccan royal family including the groom's three sisters

.

Left to right: King Mohammed VI, Princess Lalla Asmaa, Prince Moulay Rachid, Princess Lalla Meriem, Oum Keltoum Boufares and Princess Lalla Hasnaa

The wedding

with a lavish dinner attended by diplomats, heads of states and European royalty.