Yahoo News In a Rare Interview the Monaco Royals Open Up About Their Love Story
The royal marriage between Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco has been a source of public intrigue since before they even tied the knot in 2011. Despite—or, likely, because of—that, the reigning couple rarely gives interviews touching on the topic of their relationship. However, they recently made an exception, sitting down for a joint discussion with Paris Matin in which they revealed a few details from their courtship.
While their marriage has often evoked a fairy tale narrative (Charlene, a former Olympian, had no royal pedigree before they married) it evidently wasn't love at first sight. "I don’t know if we fell in love back then," Albert said of the couple's first meeting in 2000 at the Mare Nostrum International Swimming Meet in Monaco where Charlene was representing her native South Africa. "I thought that she was an excellent swimmer and that she was friendly, cheerful, and approachable. We had a great time."
The royals also laughed about a time when they were dating that they broke Charlene's curfew. "I don’t know if I should say this, but that night I got her into a bit of trouble because I didn’t get her ‘home’ in time," Albert revealed. Charlene agreed, admitting, "Yes, I did get into a bit of trouble that night, but we won’t go into that."
Albert, who is the son of the late Prince Rainier III and actress Grace Kelly, has been the subject of a number of scandals over the years, including fathering multiple children out of wedlock, so his marriage to Charlene, 20 years his junior, came as a surprise to many. Even before the wedding, though, there were already rumors that the relationship was troubled—rumors which have continued to surface intermittently in the decade-plus since.
In 2021, these seemed to reach a fever pitch when Charlene spent more than six months in South Africa, reportedly due to an ongoing ear, nose, and throat issue that prevented her from being able to fly. Shortly after she returned to Monaco, it was announced that she would be entering a treatment facility to deal with "exhaustion, both emotional and physical."
That episode was followed in 2023 with persistent speculation that the couple had separated and planned to divorce. While the Monegasque palace has typically not commented on such reports, Charlene and Albert began making regular appearances late last year in a move that was perceived to be an attempt to stave off gossip. Earlier this year Charlene even made a rare appearance wearing her engagement ring.
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