Ultra-confident contract? Wasting away behind palace walls? Princess Charlene of
Monaco started facing difficulties before she even married into the royal family!
When Princess Charlene first met Prince Albert in 2000,
she was — for the most part — a normal young woman. Of course,
Charlene's successful swimming career set her apart from other young professionals. However,
when it came to issues like choosing outfits, planning trips, and following royal protocol,
Charlene enjoyed the kind of freedom that only a non-royal could experience.
All that changed in 2006 on New Year's Day — it was then that Charlene and Albert began dating
in an official capacity. During the early days of the relationship, Charlene realized that she no
longer had the liberty to wear whatever clothes she wished. After all, the public began to view
her as the possible future princess of Monaco, and they expected her to dress the part. In an
interview with Vogue, Charlene recalled the disastrous 2006 Red Cross Ball, where
she faced what she called a "trial by fire" for dressing too informally. The princess admitted,
"I was literally a fish out of water. I thought it was all fun,
fun, fun, and didn’t give my outfit any thought. I had been playing beach volleyball all day,
painted my nails red, and threw on a green dress. I thought I looked great at the time,
but looking back, I realize that my debut into Monaco society should have been better executed!"
In addition to her fashion transformation, Charlene had to alter her workout routine
to make her figure more princess-like. She dropped the weightlifting routine
that she performed as an Olympian and instead focused on stretching.
One of the biggest challenges of being a royal is dealing with the tabloids. Historically,
royal brides, like Princess Diana, were hounded by the press. Unfortunately,
during her engagement, Princess Charlene did not escape the intensity of royal
media coverage. Just days before her wedding, Charlene was bombarded by a
flood of rumors alleging that she was going to leave Prince Albert.
"The wedding, presided over by Philippe Narmino,
the registrar for the ruling Grimaldi family, was one many thought they would never see."
Indeed, the French outlet Le Journal du Dimanche went so far as to claim that Charlene had
attempted to escape from Monaco three times in the weeks leading up to her wedding. Per this report,
which Albert and Charlene vehemently denied, the princess sought refuge in the South
African embassy in France after heading to Paris for a dress fitting. Apparently,
she tried leaving the country a second time at the Grand Prix. The outlet also alleged
that the Monegasque police force confiscated Charlene's passport after a final attempt.
Ultimately, all of this press attention took its toll. On the day of Charlene's wedding, she broke
down in tears — no thanks to the salaciousness of these rumors. The princess later told The Times,
"Everything was just so overwhelming. There were all the mixed emotions because of the
rumors and obviously the tension built up and I burst into tears. And then I burst
into tears some more because I was thinking, 'Oh no, now the whole world has seen me cry.'"
Even after Princess Charlene and Prince Albert tied the knot, rumors about the
validity of their relationship swirled. This was particularly true during their honeymoon,
which the newlyweds spent in South Africa. However, instead of cozying up in a romantic
hotel room with a glass of champagne, Charlene and Albert shocked the world by
staying in separate hotels. Indeed, right when the couple arrived in South Africa,
Albert settled into the Hilton hotel in Durban. Meanwhile, Charlene stayed at a luxurious suite
in the town of Umhlanga Rocks — 10 miles away from where her husband was staying.
Speaking to ABC News, Daily Mail reporter Peter Allen spilled the
tea on why the couple was staying separately. The reporter revealed
that a palace representative had released a statement to the Daily News, which read:
"The prince was in a meeting at the Hilton with members of the International Olympic
Committee from July 5 to 9. For practical reasons, it was better to sleep there."
Despite this explanation, however, Allen remained suspicious of why the
couple chose to be apart for their honeymoon. As Allen told ABC News,
he found it odd that Albert fulfilled work obligations during the trip, adding,
"He stayed there, leaving poor old Charlene 10 miles up the coast at a
seaside hotel. [...] You have to ask, why couldn't Charlene have stayed in Durban? It's a mystery."
It's no secret that royal brides are expected to produce an heir to
the throne, but Princess Charlene faced particular pressure to do so. After all,
Prince Albert fathered two royal love children prior to his marriage,
making the need for a legitimate son even more essential. Royal expert Baron Henri Estramant
told Insider that the Monegasque elite had long expected Albert to provide the princedom with an
heir. A government spokesperson also echoed this sentiment, telling the French outlet Point de Vue,
"Charlene has beauty and style, and we are all praying that she will ensure the royal
succession in our principality. [...] The time is now right to produce the next ruler of Monaco."
Unfortunately, all this chatter meant that Charlene was faced with the burden of
conceiving quickly. When the princess didn't get pregnant within a year of her marriage,
the pressure got to her. In 2012, the French tabloid Voici reported that Charlene was
struggling so much with the issue of pregnancy that she refused to talk about it, writing,
"Charlene has made the subject of pregnancy a taboo topic around the Royal palace. She might
have a smile on her face at official functions, but inside she is stressed
and frustrated. This subject is weighing more and more heavily on her shoulders."
Even after Princess Charlene gave birth to Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella,
it was clear that she continued to struggle with certain aspects of royal
life. Chief among them seems to be living in the palace — which, for many people,
would be a dream come true. Indeed, the Prince's Palace of Monaco is an elaborate construction,
complete with maid service, private chefs, and panoramic views of the Mediterranean
Sea. In spite of these luxuries, however, Charlene decided against living in the palace,
choosing instead to inhabit a nearby apartment located above a former chocolate factory.
To Monegasque people, this unusual living arrangement was hardly a secret. As one
local source anonymously told the Daily Mail:
"We often saw her outside the palace and she would usually be alone or with a bodyguard,
but she was never with Albert. It was obvious
she chose to spend most of her time in the apartment rather than the palace."
That being said, many members of the public hoped that Charlene would move back in with
the rest of her family. Speaking to the Daily Mail, another Monte Carlo resident stated,
"The way to stop all the friction and put an end to the speculation about their marriage
is for Charlene to proudly move back into the palace and start living like a proper princess."
Ultimately, though, Charlene's fans won't decide where she resides. And, the princess'
sister-in-law, Chantell Wittstock, has hinted that Charlene has no plans to leave the apartment.
Royal life has not always been easy for Princess Charlene — a fact that
has not escaped the notice of the public. Perhaps because of the princess' struggles,
rumors began to circulate about why she remains active in an official capacity. In 2022, Voici
claimed to have reason to believe that Prince Albert was paying Charlene to perform her royal
duties. According to the outlet, the wealthy prince signed "an ultra-confident contract"
with his wife, stipulating that he pay her 12 million euros per year to appear by his side.
While this sort of arrangement would be considered highly unusual, not all royal insiders think
it would be a bad thing for Charlene to earn a salary. One Monegasque source told the Daily Mail,
"Of course the Princess enjoys huge perks,
but ready cash is not guaranteed. She's been through a very difficult time,
so it would make sense for Charlene to try and secure her own guaranteed income."
Albert and Charlene have long spoken out against the media's claims about their
marriage. Speaking to the French outlet Nice Matin Charlene was especially vocal
about the way the press spread rumors about her while she was away recovering from an illness:
"You want to talk about divorce rumors. I find it truly regrettable that certain
outlets peddle rumors about my life, my relationship."
"I avoided princess parties, and um, it was hard to keep me in a dress,
my hero was Zorro so I wanted to be him."
Over the years, a lot of people have portrayed Princess Charlene as a sad
woman who has slowly been wasting away behind palace walls. However, as time has passed, this
characterization has grown old. As articulated by a piece in the French outlet Paris Match:
"The palace has so many times had to invoke the image of a suffering
princess that the Monegasques, today, find it hard to believe."
The princess' friends agree that Charlene is not as powerless as the media has portrayed
her to be. In an interview with People, one of her closest confidants reminded
journalists that Charlene has a long history of showing resilience, saying,
"Just to be honest, Charlene, she's an Olympian, and she's a tough cookie."
This anonymous individual went on to debunk the idea that Charlene
is somehow unable to fend for herself, adding,
"She's a little bit of an iconoclast. She's her own person, and she's not a shrinking violet."
If anyone doubted that characterization, they would only need to look as far as Charlene's
ever-changing hairstyles. Over the years, the princess has used her haircuts to challenge
old-fashioned notions about what royal women should look like. Her most controversial 'do
was a partial buzzcut that she debuted at a Christmas fair in 2020. At the time,
royal expert Nigel Crawthorne told the Daily Mail that Charlene, quote,
"has shorn away Monegasque etiquette" — making her, perhaps, something of a rebel.
"It has been obviously a very challenging time to be here."
In spite of all Princess Charlene's struggles with royal life, she has expressed a strong
interest in continuing her official role in Monaco. In 2022, the princess returned to the
principality after completing medical treatment in Switzerland for a serious ear, nose, and throat
infection. Like any young person returning home after spending a long time away, Charlene seemed
content to be back on her home turf. In an interview with Nice Matin, she revealed,
"I am very happy to return to my home in Monaco and to my family."
Apparently, her time away reaffirmed what she felt for the Monegasque people. The princess shared,
"I have received so many warm and positive messages when I was far from Monaco,
and I am thankful for their support."
Of course, following months of medical issues, Charlene said
that she was hesitant to jump too quickly into her royal duties. She told Nice Matin,
"My state of health is still fragile,
and I cannot go too fast. The path has been long, difficult, and painful."
As a result, the princess said that her main priority would be her family life, adding,
"After returning to the principality,
I have concentrated all my energy on my children, my husband, and my health."
Prince Albert has spoken out in support of his wife, telling People,
"I'm really proud of my wife. Charlene's doing really well. As you can see for yourself,
she's been active in any number of different events."