What now for Princess Charlène: Duties, Roles and Responsibilities

[Pranter]

Other photo where Charlene is very smiling, I don't see a very sad couple, photo taken during the national fest at the balcony during the hourras


https://www.profimedia.cz/editorial?blob=p.gg~sp.princess charlene&mp_sed=397102268

Eh...not a happy smile. A bit forced/flat.


LaRAe

 

[ladongas]

Depression? —-can come and go.

 

[M. Payton]

Other photo where Charlene is very smiling, I don't see a very sad couple, photo taken during the national fest at the balcony during the hourras


https://www.profimedia.cz/editorial?blob=p.gg~sp.princess charlene&mp_sed=397102268

I just read this forum over the years yet in looking at that picture that you gave the link to, that is one very unhappy woman......you can see she is barely alive and ready to run in that picture. Gritting the teeth is not a smile but a woman in dire need of escape from where she is at......JMHO!

 

[C4A]

Really? I see a genuine smile in that picture.

I agree she was not smiling that much in the courtyard. There could be good reason for that. We can only speculate here. But she seemed more relaxed on the balcony and smiling more.

 

[Florestane]

Depression? —-can come and go.

Certainly can - seems worse in Monaco.

 

[Florestane]

Really? I see a genuine smile in that picture.

I agree she was not smiling that much in the courtyard. There could be good reason for that. We can only speculate here. But she seemed more relaxed on the balcony and smiling more.

OK - what is your take on the difference in her smiling, attitude and demeanour pre 2014 and now?

 

[C4A]

Hi F - Do you think she smiled more, was happier before 2014?I don’t really think so. Yes, she attends fewer functions now, but I recall P Albert saying before they were married that P Charlene would not be expected to fulfill the traditional role of Princess. To me this means that they have had a discussion around that and had come to a mutual agreement. Some posters above think the children are no excuse for her not to be present at events - that is a matter of opinion.

She has always come across as somewhat reserved at formal functions or where the spotlight is on her, but more relaxed at informal events. People who have met her report her as being very warm, open and down to earth.

And who knows why she looked a little upset in the courtyard on National Day? We can only speculate...and I like to give her the benefit of the doubt. Her close family was present apart from her mother...was she ill maybe? I noticed that neither P Charlene nor her brothers brought their children to the courtyard ceremony. Was there an agreement (or directive from P Albert) not to bring the children that Andrea and Pierre ignored and P Charlene was upset by this? Again, only speculation, but plausible reasons.

Later, on the balcony, she seemed more relaxed, smiled, waved, blew kisses to the crowd. I also think she is the kind of person who shows her feelings, who doesn’t wear a mask just because she is expected to appear in a certain way. I remember a while back she looked pretty miserable at a soccer match. P Albert showed some concern. Of course there were stinging comments. Later it was reported that a close friend had passed away.

After all this, I guess what I’m saying is that we should also allow for simple explanations of what we see - or think we see.

I would also love to see her more, especially in Monaco, as I think the Monegasque people deserve to see and be proud of their Princess. But there seems to be an arrangement in place that P Albert appears to be happy with, and I respect that.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Of all the current European consorts ,Charlene is the least active,Albert II should let his older more able sister take centre stage until his forlorn looking wife gets her act together.

 

[togram]

An Ard Ri, I think that you are unnecessarily very hard with Charlene. When they got married Albert had said that Charlene's priority would be the family. I know a number of persons living in Monaco and they all speak highly of her. So please stop all these criticisms.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The criticism of Charlene is not personal towards the person of the Princess rather her lack of public duties which are quite vocal and evident here on the forum and people should not be taking it to heart nor start lecturing anyone else for having a difference of opinion.

 

[Florestane]

The criticism of Charlene is not personal towards the person of the Princess rather her lack of public duties which are quite vocal and evident here on the forum and people should not be taking it to heart nor start lecturing anyone else for having a difference of opinion.

I agree. It's a discussion - one would hope it would be possible to just agree to disagree.

 

[AdmirerUS]

Of all the current European consorts ,Charlene is the least active,Albert II should let his older more able sister take centre stage until his forlorn looking wife gets her act together.

Well, Monaco is teeny tiny. And it is not as if Albert is shaking down the timbers all over Europe. He's a businessman, foremost. A darn good one. I'm off topic, but...

 

[noda]

Yes, that's the point myself and other posters were making. Irrespective of what she actually does she should at least look engaged and interested when she is on official business in Monaco, it really isn't that difficult. Singing the national anthem and at least greeting and thanking her subjects in French, even if she isn't fluent, shouldn't be much to ask for but it obviously is which is a terrible indictment of her as Princess. I also agree about her failing to show at events she is directly connected with. She actually founded Monaco fashion week but I think has only appeared at it once; is patron of the World Rugy awards and missed that this year and also missed the Christmas Ball last year, which is in aid of her foundation, after attending the previous year. There's no consistency to her engagements even those that should be mainstays in her diary. She seems to turn up at events simply if it suits her mood which is a very unprofessional approach from someone in her position.

Completly agree with you.

 

[noda]

Of all the current European consorts ,Charlene is the least active,Albert II should let his older more able sister take centre stage until his forlorn looking wife gets her act together.

Agree with you An Ard Ri. Prince Albert needs both her sisters on his side and take the center stage. From my point of view he can't attend so many events alone, even if he is married.

 

[melina premiere]

Princess Camilla of two siciles who lives in Monaco with her husband and her daughters was speaking about Princess Charlene in an interview some weeks ago
She knows very well the people of Monaco

 

[C4A]

Good to hear the opinion of someone who lives in Monaco and rubs shoulders with the couple.

 

[Lee-Z]

From what i see on internet forums imo they don't just "rub shoulders" but are actually close friends, maybe the closest friends P.Albert and P.Albert have in other royal families?

 

[loonytick]

Princess Camilla of two siciles who lives in Monaco with her husband and her daughters was speaking about Princess Charlene in an interview some weeks ago
She knows very well the people of Monaco

Interesting. Basically, in the politest way possible, she’s saying Charlene was not welcomed or given a fair chance at first.

 

[melina premiere]

Charlene herself has never hide that she was not welcomed in the high society of Monaco, not among the monegash people but the high society ,she told in the book ' Albert, the prince and the man' she told to the autors of the book, that she was the girlfriend who was placed in the corner of the room and she listened' she is too near to the prince, what does she do here, she does not even speak french, she is not well dressed for this event', she said Albert was only her support, he never stop to support her and he wanted she went on to come with him to many events, he said her to be patient, she would be adopted by the high society but he sufferd like her that some of a minority of the this society did not welcome her , now all is finished, there is no more problems, Princess Grace met the same problems when she came in Monaco she was called ' the actress or the american girl'



Alll the monegash people loves her they adopted her and Charlene is very closed to them and as Camilla is saying in the interview she is speaking to everyone



Charlene and Camilla are the close friends to the princely couple but they are the persons who can say that the monegash people love Charlene and she is at ease in Monaco

 

[Elly C]

It’s not at all surprising that given Charlene’s background and relatively sheltered life as a dedicated sportswoman she didn’t initially fit into Monaco society and seemed an unlikely future wife for Prince Albert. That she has found a way through this is undoubtedly to her credit, but it doesn’t detract from the fact that she has not really embraced some of the aspects of the role one would expect of the wife of the sovereign. The fact that she hasn’t made significant progress with the French language is a further issue which she could overcome if she really wanted to. Overall she is doing as much as she needs to in her role as the first lady of Monaco, but no more. The comparison with Grace in those initial years, is a valid one. But Grace immersed herself in her adopted country and the people loved her for this. Nothing will convince me that Charlene is doing enough to gain the same affection from her fellow Monegasques.

 

[Somebody]

Alll the monegash people loves her they adopted her and Charlene is very closed to them and as Camilla is saying in the interview she is speaking to everyone

Even the most popular princess will not be loved by 'all the people'. So any statement like that only shows an extreme bias.

Camilla, however, makes a fair point when she states that Charlene had a hard job to follow in princess Grace's footsteps. She compares the situation to that of Catherine (who married in the same year to her prince - whose mother was also really popular) who currently seems very well adjusted, confident and happy in her role. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Charlene. Hopefully, she will find that ease at some point as well.

 

[C4A]

^^previous
Hardly fair to compare P Charlene here with Duchess Catherine - two very different systems they operate in. P Charlene seems confident enough in her role to me, let’s remember P Albert said that she would not be expected to fulfill the traditional role of Princess.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I can understand Charlene not being excepted and walking in Princess Graces shadow is no easy task but on the flip side of that she hasn't really helped her cause much either .

 

[noda]

Once again we missed Princess Charlene! I really can't understand why she is absent to the Rolex Master, while in the past years she attended the event.

 

[sophie25]

Once again we missed Princess Charlene! I really can't understand why she is absent to the Rolex Master, while in the past years she attended the event.

There are few annual events where she is certain to turn up. Most of a time her presence is a hit or a miss but too often a miss unfortunately.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Once again we missed Princess Charlene! I really can't understand why she is absent to the Rolex Master, while in the past years she attended the event.

It was also the Easter Weekend so perhaps Princess Charlene was on holidays?

 

[fandesacs2003]

It was also the Easter Weekend so perhaps Princess Charlene was on holidays?

Holidays? Is she the average salaried worker who is waiting for bank holiday in order to have some rest?

 

[An Ard Ri]

Holidays? Is she the average salaried worker who is waiting for bank holiday in order to have some rest?

Hardly but being a Princess doesn't exclude her from having an Easter Vacation,the Spanish and Belgian RF were also on holidays over Easter.

 

[fandesacs2003]

Hardly but being a Princess doesn't exclude her from having an Easter Vacation,the Spanish and Belgian RF were also on holidays over Easter.

Of course. But in family. What I was meaning is that she could assist Prince Albert in his tasks, and of course also spend days for holidays.

 

[C4A]

P Charlene was present with her husband and son at the Easter celebration - see earlier posts. P Gabriella was absent on this occasion. I thought maybe she was ill, and that could be the reason P Charlene did not attend the tennis on Sunday.