Charlene, Princess of Monaco Celebrates 36th Birthday

The Princess of Monaco (often referred to as Princess Charlene of Monaco) celebrated her 36th birthday on Saturday, January 25th.

Born Ms Charlene Lynette Wittstock in Rhodesia, now modern day Zimbabwe, in 1978, the future Princess is of English and German decent. In 1989, the Wittstock family relocated to South Africa.

Prior to her marriage, Charlene was a celebrated swimmer and represented South Africa at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

In the early 2000s, she met Prince Albert of Monaco and later attended the royal weddings of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010 and Prince William in 2011 with Prince Albert. In June 2010, The Princes Palace of Monaco announced the engagement of Prince Albert and Ms Charlene Wittstock. Charlene, who was raised a Protestant, converted to Roman Catholicism and also took language lesson in French. In 2011, Charlene accompanied Prince Albert II on a state visit to the Irish Republic, where they were greeted by the then-Irish President, Mary McAleese.

In July 2011, Albert and Charlene were married at a civil ceremony in the Throne Room of the Princely Palace and a Roman Catholic ceremony a day later. The religious ceremony was attended by various members of reigning and non-reigning royal houses as well as Heads of State and celebrities. Upon her marriage, Charlene became the Princess consort of Monaco with the style of Her Serene Highness.

The Princess accompanies her husband to majority of official Princely events and also recently attended the royal wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden to Christopher O’Neill in June 2013.

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Tagged Birthday, Princess Charlène of Monaco.

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