Princess Charlene, Doing Fine

Since her first official engagement at the Red Cross Ball, HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco has been keeping a pretty busy schedule. She and the Sovereign Prince re-opened the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique (which now includes a Charlene Salon), then there was a classic music festival in the neighboring town of Menton (once a part of the Grimaldi dominion many years ago), where the new Princess let her hair down and was given a very warm welcome -and a *very* large armfull of flowers, from the adoring crowd and then, last Friday both attended the 50th anniversary of the Stade Nautique Rainier III where, again, the welcome was exuberant. No gaffes, no stumbles, no "scenes" and not a hint of trouble, just a Prince and Princess of Monaco, comfortable, at ease and still newlyweds who (as you can tell from the many photos of each occasion) still have a hard time taking their eyes off each other. If all of those who were trying to cast doubts and who made a habit of saying unkind things could see just how silly -and sad- they look based on the example of the Princely couple, well, perhaps it would all stop.

What is even more telling, considering all the "doom and gloom" so many were spouting, is the public reaction at every place the new couple have visited, whether in France, Monaco or one of the nearby towns within the 'Monegasque community'. I wonder if the gloomy gus types realize how out of touch they are? On each and every occasion the welcome has been warm and exuberant, even moreso than the always polite and friendly welcome given to the Sovereign Prince, who is a familiar face in these areas, but there are huge cheers for Princess Charlene, very large and very long rounds of applause, shouts of best wishes and as many photographs as possible. In short, the people love them. They see them, up close, they see what a happy couple they are, comfortable and at ease with each other (which they should be by now) and your average person without a heart full of malice is instantly attracted to that. Princess Charlene, despite a great deal of negativity hurled her way right out of the gate, has gotten off to an excellent start as the new Princess of Monaco. She has not let the naysayers get her down but, as the British used to say, has simply kept calm and carried on. Good for her and well done.

Mariage à Monaco

This photographic look back at the lives of Albert and Charlene was done by Stéphane Bern, a close friend of Prince Albert II.

Charlene to Appear in Vogue

Of the pictures I've seen so far, this one was my favorite. They will be featured in the July 2011 edition.

Interview with Prince Albert and Charlene

The French newspaper Journal du Dimanche recently interviewed the Princely couple attending the Mere Nostrum International Swimming Competition in Monaco and of course the subject of the wedding came up:

How do you feel? There are only three weeks until your marriage?

Albert II: We cannot wait to get married, but we have so many things to do before. My work continues despite our upcoming marriage. I don’t feel any particular stress upon the approach to our marriage. We are very relaxed.

Charlene: I’m in the same state of mind that any woman feels upon her marriage. We’re committed to life, it is not something to take lightly. Some brides stress. Others, do not. I feel calm…

But you are not marrying just anyone, you will soon become a princess …

Charlene: Yes, but I won’t let that pressure take a hold of me.

What will be your role?

Charlene: My role will be defined once I am married. Although I have learned, during five years in Monaco, the proper palace protocol, the habits as well as the customs of the principality. Today, I feel ready.

Albert: I let Charlene find herself and find identity here in the principality. She was already very involved in humanitarian causes for the youth. Moreover, she already has an established role in the sports world. Recently, she was appointed the Ambassador for Special Olympics, a foundation dedicated athletes with disabilities worldwide.

You are both great athletes, are you talking about sport together?

Charlene: All the time! This is one of the many things we have in common. It is sports that has truly united us.

Miss Wittstock do you feel apart of Monaco?

Charlene: I’m starting to get to know people from the principality. Now, I truly feel that I have found my where I have bearings here. Much more than in the early years. Today, I feel apart of the family here in the principality.

You are from South Africa. Do you miss your native country?

Charlene: South Africa is a part of me and will always be. In my heart I’ll always be South African, although today, Monaco is my new country and home.

This marriage is a way for you to give another image of Monaco?

Albert: Although this is not its primary purpose, this marriage will help correct the image of Monaco, a country that has always suffered from stereotypes. To better know the identity of Monaco and its values, its economic, social, cultural, humanitarian, sports, environmental. The power of attraction of Monaco will be strengthened.

Your Serene Highness, you’re close to your sisters. What is the relationship between Caroline, Stephanie and your future wife, Charlene?

Albert: We’re really lucky. I not only get along very well with the Charlene’s family, but Charlene works perfectly with mine. In the end, it all came naturally. In my family we have a great team spirit. Charlene is apart of this team has all the support from my sisters.

Charlene: I’m very comfortable with the prince’s sisters, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie. We get along well and they are strong women, great mothers.

A happy event promises to be there?

Albert: Well when you say children and you look at me, I’m not the one carrying them.

Charlene: I love children. We definitely want children and we hope to have a children soon.

Charlene Named Global Ambassador for Special Olympics

Albert & Charlene German TV Interview

Some highlights for those who don't sprechen die deutsch so well, they'd prefer a small wedding but prefer to include the people, Charlene admires Caroline and Stephanie and she can't wait to have a family. Yes! The Grimaldi-Polignac line might just go on. Somewhere up above Prince Pierre has his fingers crossed...

Cinema Against AIDS Gala

The always lovely Charlotte Casiraghi joined her uncle Albert and soon-to-be aunt Charlene at amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS gala on Thursday during the Cannes Film Festival, where the Casiraghi trio are familiar faces. Prince Albert is a veteran of the charity gala but this was a first-time appearance for Charlotte there and she was quite a hit. Prince Albert and Charlene also took home the prize for earning the most money at the auction. What was so valuable that the couple (looking quite glamorous themselves) put up for sale? Two tennis lessons and two swimming lessons. We know Prince Albert loves a game of tennis and we know Charlene is quite the swimmer -will they be taking matters into their own hands? That would certainly make for a memorable event to be sure.

Chinese movie star Zhang Ziyi and an amused Charlotte Casiraghi on center stage

Albert and Charlene at the Wedding

Charlene Swims the Tiber

Princess-to-be Charlene Wittstock, former Olympic swimmer, has swam the Tiber! Yes, according to People magazine, after quite a period of "is she or isn't she" it was announced today that Charlene has decided to come to 'home, sweet Rome' and officially converted to the Catholic faith. Charlene was raised a Protestant and though there is no law in Monaco that would requite the princess consort to embrace a certain religion, the state religion of Monaco is Roman Catholic and the vast majority of the Monegasque population has always belonged to the Catholic Church. Prince Albert II was adamant in past interviews that the issue was totally up to Charlene and she was under no pressure, however, it would be unrealistic to think that the weight of tradition was not felt. There has never been a Princess of Monaco who was not Catholic, the ties between the House of Grimaldi and the Church are older than the country itself and the diplomatic ties between Monaco and the Holy See are older than almost any other country. In a short statement from the Princely Palace it was said, "Miss Charlene Wittstock, who professes the Christian faith, has been admitted by free and personal choice into full communion with the Catholic Church." This is very good news as the future Princess of Monaco will now be united in faith were her husband, the rest of the Grimaldi family and the people of Monaco. Congratulations to Charlene on this important occasion in her life.

Irish Visit is a Go!

Monegasque news services and the Foreign Office of the Republic of Ireland have confirmed that HSH Prince Albert II will soon be visiting the Emerald Isle and will be bringing Charlene along with him. Sources say the visit will be held from April 4 to April 6, so just around the corner. Their Serene Highnesses Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace paid an official visit to Ireland in 1961 (where the Irish-American princess was very warmly welcomed in particular) and Prince Albert had planned to visit in 2009 but, other issues came up and that was not possible. This time, however, things are looking good and even the Irish have noted that it doesn't rain until it pours as they have been a while without any foreign heads of state visiting and within the span of about two months they will have His Serene Highness the Prince of Monaco, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Her Majesty the Queen and the President of the United States all stopping by. In other news, embattled Libyan dictator Colonel Qaddafhi reportedly stated that he might like to follow the example of the late King of Egypt and make his home-in-exile the sunny Principality of Monaco! Where would he find enough open space to pitch his famous tent? Of course, we assume this was yet another case of the news services having some fun with us on April Fool's Day -though I don't doubt there is at least one "fool" (and that's being kind) who will be more than willing to believe the story -if you know what I mean ;-) *Update: Very interesting article here at the Irish Times about the upcoming princely visit as well as a discussion with the Sovereign Prince about the situation in Monaco.

Wedding Website Online

The Princely Palace now has on-line the official wedding website for the upcoming marriage of Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock (hurray hurray). It does not have quite as much info as some others out these days but was put together mostly for the benefit of the press to aid them in getting everything in order to cover the event on the big day. It also has the new official monogram for Albert and Charlene, which I at least had never seen before. According to the website, the details on the big day are:

"The civil wedding will take place on Friday 1 July at 5pm in the Throne Room in the Palace of Monaco. It will be celebrated by Philippe Narmino, Director of the Judicial Services and President of the Council of State.

Philippe Narmino is the Ruling Family's Registrar.

The religious ceremony will take place on Saturday 2 July at 5pm in the Main Courtyard of the Palace of Monaco, where Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Bernard Barsi.

The gates to the Palace will remain open to enable some 4,000 guests to be seated for the ceremony, which will be broadcast on giant screens.

On this occasion, Friday 1 July and Saturday 2 July, will be holidays."

The website is available in French and English so have a look at Mariage Princier Monaco 2011.

MM Video: Monaco's Charlene

Religious Questions & Charlene

There have been alot of rumors flying about lately regarding the religion of the next Princess of Monaco. Charlene was raised Protestant but, in an interview (which readers will have seen) she identified herself only as "Christian". The media had reported (in one of those off-hand type remarks the modern media is so good at, and frequently passes along incorrect information) that Charlene was taking catechism classes and would or had become Catholic. In the interview mentioned above, when asked about the subject of religion, Prince Albert II pointed out that, unlike Great Britain for example, there is freedom of religion for everyone in Monaco, including the spouse of the Sovereign Prince. Charlene does not have to be a Catholic to be the Princess of Monaco, though it would be the first time in the very long history of the country that such a thing happened.

So, now there is speculation about whether Charlene is or is not a Catholic or if she has or does not have any plans to change her religion. Charlene has attended mass with the Grimaldis, she crossed herself, genuflected to the Archbishop and so on. I don't know if she's taken communion, that is not usually shown anyway. Few would accuse the Grimaldis of being a devoutly religious family these days, but they do take religion seriously. Princess Stephanie, known for her 'wild ways' respectfully abstains from communion when that is called for and Prince Albert II has had very good relations with the Holy See throughout his reign. Now, whether Charlene is or is not a Catholic at this time I cannot say with 100% certainty. She has shown almost all the outward signs of being one and it would be my opinion that she is or is in the process of becoming one.

To be rather blunt, I don't think Charlene gives religious issues a great deal of attention. That is no slam against her, some people make it a priority and other people do not -it's just not a part of their lives. In an interview with her parents they made no issue out of the difference in religious upbringing between their daughter and her intended. Despite the fact that there is no law against it, I would be very, very surprised if Charlene remained even a nominal Protestant. It would be unprecedented in Monegasque history and I think would reflect poorly on her, given that she has not given the impression of specific church membership being that important to her, not to go along with the religion of her husband and the vast majority of the people of Monaco. To stress though, it is my opinion that she has become a Catholic or will shortly, perhaps at Easter time (which is when it usually happens but not always). If there is a public confirmation at Easter in preparation for the marriage it will certainly be known.

Charlene Swims for Charity

HSH Prince Albert II's fiancée Charlene Wittstock (a former Olympic swimmer as we know) wrapped up her visit to her former homeland of South Africa by participating in the 38th aQuelle Midmar Mile Race at Midmar Mile Dam in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on Saturday morning. She had never participated in the race before but took part this year to raise money for the Special Olympics and was pleased to visit South Africa and see some old friends and family whom she has been apart from for some time. The race was held Saturday and Sunday and marked the end of Charlene's week-long visit home where she certainly attracted more attention, or at the least a different sort of attention than in the past -before she was engaged to marry the Prince of Monaco.

Prior to the race she attended several charitable activities to raise money for the Special Olympics; a very worthy cause. On Friday she was at St. John’s Diocesan School in Pietermaritzburg to host a charity breakfast that raised $2,300. Afterwards she cut the ribbon to open a new pool at the school for competitive swimmers and unveiled a plaque commemorating the occasion. The future Princess of Monaco spoke of her hope that the new facilities would see the school produce some future Olympic swimmers. The Games are clearly very dear to Charlene and Prince Albert who are both veteran Olympians (though in very different sports. That evening she attended the launch of the “Nelson Mandela Intimate Moments Exhibition” by Kerry Muldoun at Liberty Midlands Mall.

Now, it is back to Monaco, surely for more wedding plans for the future Princess of Monaco but she will be back in South Africa again after her marriage where the Prince and new Princess will both attend a meeting of the International Olympic Committee; something so important to both of them that they changed the original date of their wedding so that certain guests would not have to choose between attending to their Olympic duties and attending the wedding. "Nice guy" Albert II, always thoughtful...

Interview, Albert and Charlene

Charlene in South Africa

Princely fiancée Charlene Wittstock is back in her homeland of South Africa this week to compete in the Midmar Mile swimming race, which she is doing to benefit the Special Olympics. At The Holden Horse Hotel and Casino in Pietermaritzburg she presented a hefty check to the South Africa Special Olympics on Thursday. She has been able to meet with some members of her family on this trip home and the Princess-to-be could not avoid the press and took a few moments to answer the questions of a reporter. Charlene told Clyde Meela of the Benoni City Times (the town where Charlene grew up), “I am very happy about the wedding; Monaco is a beautiful country and I love everything about it,” and also mentioned the compatibility of herself and Albert II saying, “Some of the interests that the Prince and I share are sports, environmental and humanitarian causes.”

Charlene spoke of her love for Monaco and how she had, after these several years, become a part of life there but had to admit also that, “I miss my relatives, the friendly people and the Bunny Park,” but she is looking forward to making up for lost time with her friends in Durban. “I am really looking forward to a braai [barbeque], seeing my friends and, if possible, even going to a Sharks’ match.” However, perhaps showing how she has been coached on the priorities of a princess, she quickly steered the conversation back to the charity and matter at hand; the Midmar Mile, saying, “I am thrilled about the visit and while I have not had time for much training due to my commitments and I am not in Olympic condition, I am sure I will enjoy my first Midmar Mile,” and that, “It’s a fantastic, world-class event and, as I have been involved in the Special Olympics in Europe, I saw this as an opportunity to give back and raise funds for the Special Olympics in South Africa, while swimming the race at a social level.”

Of course, as reporters are coached to do, questions persisted on the subject of the wedding and Charlene was asked if she was living out a real-life fairytale (something often said of the marriage of the last Sovereign Prince). Taking a humble stance Charlene said, “If any woman can find someone who truly loves her and is lucky enough to marry him, then that is a fairytale to me,” which seemed to hit the right note. It is not expected that Charlene will be back to South Africa until after her marriage when she and her Prince will attend a meeting of the International Olympic Committee. If the local media are more interested in the wedding than the swimming race, we can perhaps be forgiving. The Midmar Mile is a regular tradition but Charlene will be the first South African to marry into Europe's oldest ruling family.

Charlene Giving Back

When word first came that Charlene would be the next Princess of Monaco there was talk about what charitable causes she would champion. This, of course, is something not required but widely expected and, given her background, it was assumed that for Charlene the former Olympian something in the area of sports could be expected. It turns out that such predictions were pretty much spot-on. Next Saturday Charlene will be visiting South Africa to swim the Midmar Mile to benefit charity and make a few other appearances. The proceeds will go to benefit the South African Special Olympics. Many disabled swimmers will themselves also be participating in the event. Charlene said she was very excited to be returning to South Africa, looking forward to seeing friends and so on but also warned that she is not exactly in Olympic-quality shape anymore. It has been reported that Charlene has already raised some 60,000 euros for the Special Olympics. She first started considering swimming the Midmar Mile when she happened to meet the director of the event in Monaco. It seems a very good way for Charlene to do what she does best and to benefit a very worthy charity.

Honoring Saint Devote

HSH Prince Albert II, joined by fiance Charlene Wittstock, sets fire to a boat to be cast out to sea in the traditional ceremony closing the days festivities honoring St Devote, patron of Monaco and the House of Grimaldi. This particular tradition dates back to 1924 when first performed by Prince Louis II (Albert's great-grandfather). The event commemorates the theft of the relics of St Devote with the robber trying to escape by boat only to be captured by local fishermen and brought back to shore. His boat was then burned as an offering. HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover was also present for the festivities, making it a much more 'family affair' than was the case last year.

Charlene Celebrates St Devote

Showing again how Charlene is becoming more and more an official member of the family in the lead-up to their wedding, today Charlene joined in the official celebrations marking the feast of St Devote, patron saint of Monaco and special protector of the Princely Family. Dressing very traditionally (good to see) Charlene joined her Prince at St Nicholas Cathedral for mass. It was expected the couple would marry in this cathedral as Rainier III and Grace did but it was announced they would instead have an outdoor wedding at the palace. Armani has also said he will be designing the wedding gown. In any event, it is good to see Charlene taking part in the traditional life of Monaco and becoming more involved with Monegasque culture as she prepares to become Princess of this jewel on the Mediterranean.

A mantilla at church always looks good to me.
Charlene and Prince Albert II at mass

The Prince and future Princess of Monaco greet the crowds at the palace gathered to honor their patron Saint Devote.

Sister's Seal of Approval

According to a story yesterday in People magazine, HSH Princess Stephanie of Monaco fully approves of her big brother's choice of wife. In an interview with Le Parisien newspaper Princess Stephanie said that she and Charlene have, "very, very good relations. I couldn't dream of a better sister-in-law". It is worth noting that Princess Stephanie and Prince Albert have always been very close, though Steph also told the paper she is not directly involved in any of the wedding plans; a smart move without doubt. When asked if her brother or sister-in-law-to-be had come to her for any advice the Princess admitted with a smile, "Well, no. But that's okay".

According to her, the Prince and Charlene, "are taking care of it all," and when asked of her part in things Steph said, "Me? I'm planning on enjoying this great moment of happiness for my country, my brother and for all the Monégasque people."

The Princess went on to say, "I'm very happy for him. Like all little sisters, I want to see my brother happy. It's a demonstration of their love and happiness that I'm seeing, which has been theirs for a while now."

Of course, as with any press encounter for Princess Stephanie, it seems no one can resist asking about her rather colorful past along with her current, extensive, charity work. They of course have to point out the two divorces, the "wild child" image, all the tabloid scandals and so on but, Steph kept her cool saying, "I don't regret a second of my life, good or bad, because they've made me the woman I am today. And I'm comfortable with her." That's our Stephanie, and that's why we love her.