Prince Albert and Princess Charlene's Relationship - Part 2

[Renata4711]

Any chance we could get away from the "money" angle?

The fact is that nobody knows what the state of play is regarding Charlene's earnings or otherwise, and she is highly unlikely to reveal them.

 

[Bones]

No one thinks twice about a husband paying the bills for his wife. Even in the case of something more casual anyone would be thought a jerk if he did not pick up the check for his girlfriend. I would like to see Albert properly married but I also do not want to see any more Grimaldi divorces. I would rather he go on as he is than to get married and then divorce or marry someone else and be seeing Charlene on the side all this time. Mistress seems a very ugly word. Both are unmarried, no one is cheating on anyone else and if they prefer to keep things casual and both are unattached; what is so scandalous about that?

I also certainly do not think the Grimaldis are any worse than anyone else. They have had failed marriages -so have numerous other royals. There have been affairs -they are not the only ones. Albert has illegitimate children. Doesn't the King of Belgium? It is also true that most of the other crowned heads of Europe are much older than Albert and come from a different time with different values. I have my doubts about Charlene but I think it very unfair to call her character into question just because her boyfriend is paying her way. Would many not think Albert a snob if he only dated women who were super-rich? It is his money to spend and his life to live. Do I approve of it all? Is my approval sought or required? Is anyone else's? I don't think so.

 

[Renata4711]

Thanks, Bones, for another thought-provoking and considered contribution.

You're right in saying that "mistress" is an ugly word. It never was an ugly word until this century. Before then, it was a dignified word.

I, too, have some doubts about Charlene, but only about her (supposed) lack of education and possibly her lack of "savoir-faire", and not at all about her ability (or otherwise) to add a positive angle to PA's lifestyle.

What seems like ages ago, I wrote about the job title of "Dame d'Honneur" which exists not only in Monaco and Mediterranean countries, but also in German: "Ehrendame".

Often there is more than one such lady, operating a rota system. Monaco has an official one: Madame Gallico (widow of the writer Paul Gallico).
Why can't we think of Charlene as the - so far - unofficial Dame d'Honneur ???

 

[goody7058]

People won't understand that word. And the mag called her mistress too.

 

[Thecia]

Lady in waiting? Well, she's certainly waiting, that's for sure. I'm not sure if I agree with everyone saying she's no good at all (I believe that everyone has redeeming features. Granted some have fewer than others but I think everyone has them) but something about her just makes me not like her. I think it's instinctual. Not that instincts are the most factual reason for anything. I don't like the word mistress either (from an etymological standpoint the term isn't correct anyway) but Albert has sued people for calling Charlene his girlfriend, hasn't he? And it sounds a little silly to call her "Albert's Friend". What about calling her his companion? That way there's less chance of offending anyone - it's so open to interpretation that it's perfect IMO.
I agree with Bones that the Grimaldis are no worse than others. Everyone makes muddles, it's just they make public muddles. And there's nothing to say that other royals don't make the same mistakes, it just seems that the Grimaldis usually end up public. That's my only bone to pick with them.

 

[Jaya]

No one thinks twice about a husband paying the bills for his wife. Even in the case of something more casual anyone would be thought a jerk if he did not pick up the check for his girlfriend. I would like to see Albert properly married but I also do not want to see any more Grimaldi divorces. I would rather he go on as he is than to get married and then divorce or marry someone else and be seeing Charlene on the side all this time. Mistress seems a very ugly word. Both are unmarried, no one is cheating on anyone else and if they prefer to keep things casual and both are unattached; what is so scandalous about that?

I also certainly do not think the Grimaldis are any worse than anyone else. They have had failed marriages -so have numerous other royals. There have been affairs -they are not the only ones. Albert has illegitimate children. Doesn't the King of Belgium? It is also true that most of the other crowned heads of Europe are much older than Albert and come from a different time with different values. I have my doubts about Charlene but I think it very unfair to call her character into question just because her boyfriend is paying her way. Would many not think Albert a snob if he only dated women who were super-rich? It is his money to spend and his life to live. Do I approve of it all? Is my approval sought or required? Is anyone else's? I don't think so.

Thank you so very much Bones for this. I have also previoulsy touched on the points that Pa and Cw do not care about approvals and disapprovals and I say ditto to all you write to articulately.Certainly the Grimaldis are the more cosmopolitan of the Royals and do not date and mix with only affluent individuals nor do they seem to give a hoot who is who on the Forbes List... I think we appreciate their egalitarianism and progressiveness and so we follow.
Again thanks for a brillaint summation.

 

[LadyMacAlpine]

Bones I agree with you.

In the words of Michael Powers they have a good "friendship". Therefore, friend would be appropriate and you aren't likely to go wrong.

 

[Sereta]

Not everyone on this earth is cut out to be married. Also, marriage is out of favor with most Europeans. Prince Albert is not married because he does not want be married. If he chooses to marry - he will. I have read interviews where he stated: (I am not quoting him verbatim, just remembering what he said in interviews.)
1) I will never marry a woman that my sisters do not approve of.
2) My wife will be compared to my mother. I do not want to put any woman through that.
3) My relationship with my consort will not be the conventional type.

I think #2 is a copout. Sorry but that's no reason to not get married. So what if she's compared to Grace. I think after she proved herself and people got to know her the comparisons would stop.
And #3 has me thinking what in the world is he talking about?

Also did Albert know about Charlene giving intereviews. Sometimes people make it sound like she practically did it behind his back, but surely she would have discussed it with him first.

 

[Renata4711]

Charlene is a free woman. She can give interviews to whoever.

I agree with #2 - for a start, Grace is/was unique. So what if someone compares her to a potential spouse for PA?

#1 - I think the sisters, especially Caroline as the official heir, would be gobsmacked if he got married at all !!

 

[Bones]

I recall reading somewhere that Princess Caroline said she would be thrilled if Albert would marry and put her out of the direct line of succession. She didn't sound like she would be very picky about who he married if it meant that her and her children would be able to avoid the throne (which carries alot of weighty responsibilities and is not all cakes and ale). I would agree that comparisons with Princess Grace is no reason to avoid marriage. Princess Caroline had to deal with it in being forced to fill her mother's shoes and whoever the future Princess consort of Monaco is there are bound to be comparisons to Princess Grace -sooner or later a Prince is going to have to marry anyway.

I'll restate that I would prefer Albert to be married and have a family and I am, myself, very much in favor of the traditional, old fashioned sort of values. However, it is not for me to judge him and it oftem seems to me that he is unfairly criticized for actions which are, when you get down to it, no different than what other royals are doing. Exactly what is it that is so upsetting? It seems people are upset over nothing more substantial than time from what I can see.

Assuming that Albert and Charlene are having a "relationship" without being married...well, Wills and Kate are unmarried and have lived together, so did the Crown Prince and Princess of Norway, so have Princess Madeleine and her fiance. Everyone knew, from all the girlfriends and two children that Albert was not exactly leading the perfectly virtuous life outside of marriage and, again not to cast any stones at Charlene, but considering she's a grown, attractive woman who's been around I would tend to doubt that she was pure as the driven snow before meeting the Prince of Monaco. I don't see why they are to be critcized more than any others. In the past it was all about duty first and securing the succession but from what I have seen, all across Europe, the modern trend is to pursue personal happiness whether royal, princely or common. Albert and Charlene are not hurting anyone, they do not answer to anyone and if they are happy with the way things are why should anyone else bother about it?

 

[Jaya]

I once read somewhere once that Caro said she would be thrilled if PA ever marries even if it is Joan Collins.

 

[Thecia]

Caroline has said that she can't wait for Albert to get married so she can retire (and theoretically move to the country where no one will know her). I think I'd be the same. I'm sure it's a terrible job, that leaves little room to be your own person and have your own life but I still think Caroline has standards about who Albert should marry. I doubt she'd want to hand off all the hard work she's done over the past thirty years to someone who isn't up to the job. I mean, Caroline being her, the most important thing would quite probably be making sure that Albert is happy - as it should be - but stepping into the role of "first lady" is a big job.

 

[DuedePhiladelphia]

I just saw the pics from the London's PG's exhibit and Charlene did not look good.I wonder who gives her dress advice? She does not look like a future princess consort but just a " girlfriend" in a tight dress going out to a bar/ club- she has had 4 years to research the part Does she have handlers image consultants?? This was a time to shine!!!!!!! She met their TRH Earl and Countess of Wessex- at least she remembered to bow and curtsy.

I wonder why PCharles wasnt there since PA is a visiting monarch-Charles should of been there instead they sent Eddy and Sophie.

What a fall from Grace-- no pun intended

 

[royalsmartie]

I just saw the pics from the London's PG's exhibit and Charlene did not look good.I wonder who gives her dress advice? She does not look like a future princess consort but just a " girlfriend" in a tight dress going out to a bar/ club- she has had 4 years to research the part Does she have handlers image consultants?? This was a time to shine!!!!!!! She met their TRH Earl and Countess of Wessex- at least she remembered to bow and curtsy.

I wonder why PCharles wasnt there since PA is a visiting monarch-Charles should of been there instead they sent Eddy and Sophie.

What a fall from Grace-- no pun intended

Some of these princess in waiting make you wonder.And everyone knows no one in the royal circles take monaco serious.So y would charles the heir to the throne meet them

 

[DuedePhiladelphia]

Some of these princess in waiting make you wonder.And everyone knows no one in the royal circles take monaco serious.So y would charles the heir to the throne meet them

This is what makes me mad.... PR and PG spent their married life in making Monaco respectable to the world with the photo ops they modelled themselves after the windors even invited PMargarets husband to take pics in the 60's after all sacrificing Grace did to insure a "model royal life" Albert is a dissapointment.........His answer to y he didnt marry oh my future bride will be compared to my mother---blah blah is a crock -- Its not like Monaco is a major player on the world stage its a small beautiful principality of anyone you choose as bride will be compared to Grace--- get over it ----Now its supposed to be ALBERT the second and his dynasty-- but u arent there yet

 

[royalsmartie]

This is what makes me mad.... PR and PG spent their married life in making Monaco respectable to the world with the photo ops they modelled themselves after the windors even invited PMargarets husband to take pics in the 60's after all sacrificing Grace did to insure a "model royal life" Albert is a dissapointment.........His answer to y he didnt marry oh my future bride will be compared to my mother---blah blah is a crock -- Its not like Monaco is a major player on the world stage its a small beautiful principality of anyone you choose as bride will be compared to Grace--- get over it ----Now its supposed to be ALBERT the second and his dynasty-- but u arent there yet

look u got a better chance at becoming rich the albert marrying

 

[Bones]

Some of these princess in waiting make you wonder.And everyone knows no one in the royal circles take monaco serious.So y would charles the heir to the throne meet them

So they don't huh? You're well informed as to the personal opinions of all the royal houses of Europe? The Prince of Wales has met Prince Albert and Princess Caroline a number of times, Princess Grace comforted Diana on her wedding day and Queen Elizabeth signed off on the Prince of Hanover marrying Caroline. And why would any of them have cause to consider Monaco a joke? The Sovereign Prince of Monaco has a more important position and more actual authority than all the crowned heads of northern Europe combined -he's actually required to rule his country. The rest of them can only dream of having the freedom that Prince Albert has.

If there is some snobby clique meant to exclude the Grimaldis they do not have much discipline in enforcing it. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Prince Edward Earl of Wessex, Prince Feisal of Jordan, Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg all attended his enthronement representing their monarchies. Prince Albert and his parents before him were invited to plenty of major royal events and occasions. And this has been going on for decades back to when monarchs, princes and assorted royals from Britain to Belgium to Sweden to Germany to Russia all spent their vacations in Monaco.

I doubt in this day and age any monarchy can afford to be that stuck up and why would they? Would Britain where the heir married his mistress? Would Belgium whose king has an illegitimate daughter? Would Luxembourg where a teenage son had a child out of wedlock? Would the Norwegians whose heir married a single mother with a history of drug abuse? Seriously... I think everyone knows by now that everyone and every family has their 'issues' and I doubt anyone is holding themselves superior to anyone else these days.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Bones, your post is well educated and well executed. I love it.

Albert will marry one day, maybe not to Charlene, but I think it will be.

 

[Renata4711]

Bones, another great post.

I doubt whether anyone would regard Monaco as a joke.

Prince Rainier was well-respected due to his businesslike approach to his job, and he earned himself the sobriquet "The Builder Prince". He got rid of Onassis when it became necessary, and he brought Monaco into the Council of Europe.

His son is now following in his footsteps by expediting the move from the "black list" towards the "white list" of the OECD.
He is carving out for himself a reputation of a serious, global, and generous environmentalist.

So who's laughing?

 

[Grace]

My issue with Albert and Charlene is no that they are not married but that they are in a completely grey area: if he doesn't want to marry, as is his prerogative, he should either date her in private (i.e. no official functions for her) or be brave and honest, declare he does not intend to marry, that she is his long term partner and keep bringing her to social functions as his companion. The fact that she is officially just a "friend" for whose jetset life Monegasque citizens have to pay annoys me. It seems Albert wants his cake and eat it too, but with privileges come also responsibilities. JMO of course

 

[Idriel]

^the relationship definitely lacks in dignity, but I seriously doubt anyone in Monaco has a serious issue with Albert's lifestyle, being as many residents there are themselves wealthy men with mistresses or kept girlfriends.
And sorry if I sound stupid but how are the people in Monaco paying for Charlene? I wasn't even aware that there were income taxes over there.

I doubt in this day and age any monarchy can afford to be that stuck up and why would they? Would Britain where the heir married his mistress? Would Belgium whose king has an illegitimate daughter? Would Luxembourg where a teenage son had a child out of wedlock? Would the Norwegians whose heir married a single mother with a history of drug abuse? Seriously... I think everyone knows by now that everyone and every family has their 'issues' and I doubt anyone is holding themselves superior to anyone else these days.

I don't know the citizenship of that particular poster but British people tend to have a complex of superiority regarding their own Royal family.
In a thread where Charlotte was suggested as a potential mate for William, you would have thought that Paris Hilton had been named instead, based on the contempt this prospect aroused.

Anyway, I agree with your post. I think the Grimaldi are rather vulgar, but they have no more skeletons in their closet than most other royal families (you forgot Juan Carlos and his skirt chasing).

 

[Grace]

^the relationship definitely lacks in dignity, but I seriously doubt anyone in Monaco has a serious issue with Albert's lifestyle, being as many residents there are themselves wealthy men with mistresses or kept girlfriends.
And sorry if I sound stupid but how are the people in Monaco paying for Charlene? I wasn't even aware that there were income taxes over there.

The Princely family has an allowance, however the money is collected (there might not be income taxes but the State has other sources of income on which the Prince and his family live).
My point is that I don't have any moral issue with people having relationships out of wedlock, but Charlene should not be payed to be the Sovereign's girlfriend, she should have her own job and life. If she lives on Albert, she should have an official role, even if not necessarily of wife and fulfill some kind of public duty in an official capacity. Being supported to be someone's "+1" does not qualify as a dignified way of life in my book. And just to be clear, I think the "blame" lies as much on Albert who put her in this position, as on Charlene.

 

[LadyS]

IMO I think that what irks or niggles people is that their relationship operates in limbo of sorts. With the other princes (Frederik, Felipe, Haakon etc ) when they dated their wives, the girlfriends were kept in the background they didn't attend formal functions or publicly meet heads of state or other royals (or not that I was aware of) until they were engaged or married. Its the whole concept that Charlene appears not to have a job yet she is often seen in the "princess" role without being one. Maybe we are more old-fashioned than we realise and if Albert had just kept her in the background with only an occasional appearance we would not be so irritated by the pair. Unfortunately appearances do matter and Albert is the head of a country, so something just doesn't gel with these two or we obviously wouldn't feel the need to discuss them so often.

I don't know why this pair cause so much discussion maybe it is because they haven't lived up to the whole fairy story that we expect of princes and princesses. All my own opinion of course.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I don't know why this pair cause so much discussion maybe it is because they haven't lived up to the whole fairy story that we expect of princes and princesses. All my own opinion of course.

They got so much discussion because he is a reigning head of state who is not married but has a perfectly good woman on his arm.

 

[royalsmartie]

So they don't huh? You're well informed as to the personal opinions of all the royal houses of Europe? The Prince of Wales has met Prince Albert and Princess Caroline a number of times, Princess Grace comforted Diana on her wedding day and Queen Elizabeth signed off on the Prince of Hanover marrying Caroline. And why would any of them have cause to consider Monaco a joke? The Sovereign Prince of Monaco has a more important position and more actual authority than all the crowned heads of northern Europe combined -he's actually required to rule his country. The rest of them can only dream of having the freedom that Prince Albert has.

If there is some snobby clique meant to exclude the Grimaldis they do not have much discipline in enforcing it. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Prince Edward Earl of Wessex, Prince Feisal of Jordan, Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg all attended his enthronement representing their monarchies. Prince Albert and his parents before him were invited to plenty of major royal events and occasions. And this has been going on for decades back to when monarchs, princes and assorted royals from Britain to Belgium to Sweden to Germany to Russia all spent their vacations in Monaco.

I doubt in this day and age any monarchy can afford to be that stuck up and why would they? Would Britain where the heir married his mistress? Would Belgium whose king has an illegitimate daughter? Would Luxembourg where a teenage son had a child out of wedlock? Would the Norwegians whose heir married a single mother with a history of drug abuse? Seriously... I think everyone knows by now that everyone and every family has their 'issues' and I doubt anyone is holding themselves superior to anyone else these days


one word google

 

[Lumutqueen]

one word google

Google?
Whats that got to do with Bones' post?
Does google show that the royal houses of europe snub the Grimaldis?

 

[Idriel]

Being supported to be someone's "+1" does not qualify as a dignified way of life in my book. And just to be clear, I think the "blame" lies as much on Albert who put her in this position, as on Charlene.

We are in total agreement there.

 

[royalsmartie]

Google?
Whats that got to do with Bones' post?
Does google show that the royal houses of europe snub the Grimaldis?

Your have to research your off subject.What position is char in?

 

[Lumutqueen]

Your have to research your off subject.What position is char in?

Charlene is the girlfriend of the reigning Prince of Monaco.
Research what?

 

[royalsmartie]

Charlene is the girlfriend of the reigning Prince of Monaco.
Research what?

I know that but thought is was a bad postion with the press.I don't Albert going to ever settle down charlene seems nice from the interviews she's given.And the rest of the fam seems to love her I hope PA marries her soon cause she in her 30s