It seems French actress Brigitte Bardot might not have to go into self-imposed exile in Russia over two elephants after all, thanks to Monaco's royal family.

• Hollande steps in to save Bardot's elephants (14 Jan 13)
• Bardot: save elephants, or I'll go to Russia too (04 Jan 13)
• Bardot leaps to Depardieu's defence (19 Dec 12)

The one time sex-bombshell had threatened to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Gerard Depardieu in the direction of Moscow unless more was done to save two elephants, named Baby and Nepal, who are under threat of being put down because of illness.

But Bardot might not need to ask Vladimir Putin for that Russian passport just yet,after her campaign won the attention of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, who has offered to bring the two pachyderms to the principality.

“If it’s a problem of finding a place I am ready to welcome Baby and Nepal. We could find a place to home them in the circus world, somewhere where they would be protected,” said the princess in French regional daily Nice Matin.

The two former circus elephants have TB and had previously been deemed a threat to the health of other animals and visitors to the Tête d'Or zoo in Lyon, where they are being kept.  

Earlier this week it emerged President François Hollande had stepped in to try and prevent their death sentences being carried out by asking his Minister of Agriculture to investigate.

The two elephants have been given a stay of execution of 40 days but a princess may yet save them.