Albert and Charlene's Relationship

[Ghislaine]

I won't quote Sandsla's post, due to its lenght, but I have a few remarks. With regard to Charlene and Albert, I still can't escape the feeling that we are witnessing a very detailed and elaborate PR scam here. (I'm not mentioning aggravating here ) This would, I presume, also mean that Albert and Charlene know the state of affairs very well and that in the light of this, some of the questions of Sandsla's post become redundant. We, or at least I, don't know the how and what of Albert and Charlene's agreement but I'm very sure they know where they both stand. At first I thought it was simply a sponsorship deal with a twist (I'll enable you to train and increase your sponsorship worth at least tenfold in return for media attention and your company whenever I need it) but I am more and more getting convinced that the Olympics were never an option in the first place. Just a good PR story and something to tell the media and anyone else who'd listen. Besides, is there anything else to tell?

And with regard to the last paragraph: everybody keeps banging on about about how they share a love for sports? I'd wish they'd stop that. And I wonder about the truth int that statement too. I get the impression that Charlene finds football boring. She seems to adore rugby, but somehow I can't help but think that Albert doesn't care much about that particular sport. I think it's fairly impossible to like all sports and while Albert is sport obsessed, I'm not sure that's the case with Charlene. The fact that she is a former athlete, doesn't mean that she adores sports in general or that she has any interest in any other sport than her own. She might recognise the skill or effort involved, but that still doesn't mean she likes to spend her time watching it?

Besides, if that is the only thing Albert and Charlene have in common: a love for sport, what about the prospects of the relationship? To me it seems like a small and shaky base for a relationship: an ex-athlete and a wanted-to-be athlete, from radically different backgrounds, upbringings, educations, social status and geographical locations. If that's all they have in common, do you think it's enough for a solid relationship?

And I recognise that there is much background information we (I) don't know, many black holes to explore and loads of questions that will never be answered. Not only about Charlene, but also about Albert. But with the information that I do have, I have my doubts about this relationship, in more than one way.

Regardless, I hope he ends up with a woman who lights up the room for him? Always.

Me too...

[rosalee]

I shall re-post with links when time permits.

[LadyMacAlpine]

Originally Posted by rosalee

German Tabloid is subjecting that CW is recently pregnant and there will be a "shotgun wedding" as is quite common amongst those royal children of monaco.

R.

Rosalee would you please give the Tabloid name for both your recent posts of this and that they are fighting.

[Mandy]

I just moved a bunch of posts to this thread where this discussion belongs. If you wish to continue rehashing your opinions about Charlene and Albert without providing corroborating evidence, please do so via private message. We have no intention of getting sued for libel because of what you believe.

Thanks,

Mandy
Monaco Moderator

[rosalee]

Many men get confused between the feelings of fun and commitment. They like how they feel with a certain woman, but when it comes to picturing her in the marriage part of his committed life, they stop because the picture stops. Sometimes it takes them forever to figure that out. Some men never figure it out. But they want to keep the fun feeling as long as they can!

How many royal princes dated the most stunning women for five years and then ended up marrying someone they "just met" who was intelligent and down-to-earth. Fun and "gorgeous" isn't everything. Ask Prince Charles.

The ONLY one who comes close to CW is MM from Norway who is not very educated and is happy being a wife and having children. Mind you, they are about the same age and met very young. They have their youthful dreams and some greater simpatico in common. They seem like "soulmates"

All the others married educated, accomplished women who KNOW how to carry themselves in public, have a strong sense of duty and have strong ideas of what they wanted to contribute from the get-go. Intellectual partners as well as marriage partners.

About PA "getting angry" at the press for repeated questions? COME ON!
The man has been dealing with this HIS ENTIRE LIFE and has had lessons upon lessons on comportment in this area, let alone life lessons. SO WHAT if the press asks him about Charlene and children one time too many? A relatively calm man most of the time .. GETS ANGRY OVER THAT? Why? Why would THAT be the thing to make him publicly ANGRY after 50 yrs of being mowed down by the press? WHY THAT?

There is NO excuse except that he either dislikes THEM jumping the gun and pushing his plans ahead, or he has NO plans of those kind and feels almost ashamed or forced to admit it on the spot. I would go with #2. Most men I know "get angry" when they feel ashamed and are faced with that shame.

Maybe she IS just a fun date for him. Two years is a LONG time to not make any plans and yet it is not long enough in some respects.

I don't think it takes a well-educated, 50-yr-old man who is head of state THAt long to process his feelings about a woman he is dating, or for choosing his future bride. What the heck would he be processing or waiting for???

And then again, why do we all care about it at all?

R.

[sandsla]

Rosalee,

Not all men still catagorize women. It is interesting that some still want to maginalize women into roles? Do men think of themselves this way? The hot guy or the boring guy that makes a good little husband, dull but can play the role well. Maybe this is why so many women don't bother with husbands anymore, they don't really need them to fill that role any longer and they can just have fun with their young hot guy. That does seem to be the popular trend. It does seem better than the alternative you suggest, that is a very outdated idea? I think there are some men out there that are evolved enough to appreciate women as a whole and separate person and not just an accoutrement to their own life. I imagine some of the royal men think their wives are stunning, just like Albert imagines Charlene is stunning and gorgeous, really? It's more than the outside that makes a man or woman attractive. The women or men that are stunning have a lot more going on inside to ever be put in that category. What's inside is always reflected on the outside, even if a select few prefer to paint a different picture in their minds. Perhaps Albert should stay single if you think he can't see a woman in a different light where it's just a choice of compromises. A woman who can "play the part" of the good little wife and cares little about equity or respect and her husband had to give up all the hot girls to marry her? That's an attractive situation for a woman that should make her feel really special. Maybe in other parts of the world, men still feel it's OK to objectify and marginalize women into roles and categories? At least some parts. I guess I have a hard time sharing that perspective with anyone in 2008. Good luck to those who do!

[rosalee]

Sandsla,

Really, I was just asking, rather rhetorically, whether or not PA required to wait some arbitrary amount of time to declare his spousely intentions, like the other younger princes did with their 20-something wives? Or whether he just has a girlfriend for now with whom he likes hanging out and is not really sure she's "the one" ?

R.

[rosalee]

http://aycu24.webshots.com/image/150...1104483_rs.jpg

They do not look very happy here.
Does anyone know the occasion of this photograph?
It appears quite solemn & all hands are clenched along
with pursed lips on BOTH CW and PA.

R.

[LadyMacAlpine]

Originally Posted by rosalee

Sandsla,

Really, I was just asking, rather rhetorically, whether or not PA required to wait some arbitrary amount of time to declare his spousely intentions, like the other younger princes did with their 20-something wives? Or whether he just has a girlfriend for now with whom he likes hanging out and is not really sure she's "the one" ?

R.

Not really sure she's "the one" after over 2 years is truely funny. If he didn't know by the end of six months of playing with her then she isn't.

[Ghislaine]

Originally Posted by rosalee

http://aycu24.webshots.com/image/150...1104483_rs.jpg

They do not look very happy here.
Does anyone know the occasion of this photograph?
It appears quite solemn & all hands are clenched along
with pursed lips on BOTH CW and PA.

R.

IIRC, this photo was taken during the ASM - Marseille football match in the Louis II stadium. When this particular shot was taken, they were holding a one minute silence in remembrance of something or someone. I have a vague recollection of a football player dying, but I could be way off here. I do remember taking offence at Charlene who doesn't (IMO!) show much respect here and (again IMO) doesn't seem to have a clue what it's about.

There's a factual mistake in the photo caption btw, as the stadium is in Fontvieille and not Monte Carlo, but that's just me noticing these things...

PS:
for anyone who's interested: they held one minute silence for two people who had died recently, one a former captain of AS Monaco, the other a director who had worked for the club for more than 30 years.
TMI?

[sandsla]

Originally Posted by rosalee

Sandsla,

Really, I was just asking, rather rhetorically, whether or not PA required to wait some arbitrary amount of time to declare his spousely intentions, like the other younger princes did with their 20-something wives? Or whether he just has a girlfriend for now with whom he likes hanging out and is not really sure she's "the one" ?
R.

Rosalee

I never know with you!But I think you had brought the same two subjects up before? I just don't see why it should be a case of either, or -- Why should Albert have to compromise? I don't think his father had to? Or do you think he did? Sorry to be such a thorn! You are a good sport!


Ghislaine,

Thank you for posting that, I had just made a few funny remarks about the photo, that may have been inappropriate considering? It's a good thing my lap top crashed and I lost my original post... I do have to say without knowing what was going on at the moment in that picture when it was taken and even knowing....thay seem to be very unhappy, looking at the expression in their eyes and the very pursed lips? Who knows what was going on?


Mandy, so sorry! We flip back and forth on these threads so much and just respond to each others posts, often without looking at the title of the thread. I'll try to be more aware of this in the future. My apologies!

[LadyMacAlpine]

The latest from Bunte it'll give people something to talk about. IMO it's jumping the gun they aren't officially engaged and until such she is just his companion.

[PadThaiPrincess]

If Charlene was in line to be Princess, wouldn't we have seen some action on her part to get ready for that role? Classes in etiquette, deportment, perhaps a change in looks and so on for a new image as one who will be representing Monaco from now on?

[miraglia1983]

No, is the answer. We don't know what is happening behind closed doors. But from what I can see in photos, Prince Albert and Charlene seem happy and having a lot of fun together. There have been reports that Charlene is studying French, that she is meeting with some priest to convert to catholicism. At the last Red Cross Ball, I saw Virginia Gallico, lady in waiting to Princess Grace and Caroline, right next to her indicating when she should move up to the prince and princesses. I think she needs time to get used to her new life in Monaco, very different from South Africa, time to learn her future role and to live with a 50 year old bachelor who must be very set in his ways. We all know that once they announce an engagement, it will be a media fiasco just like is happened to Princess Diana. Charlene will be persecuted mercilessly by the paparazzi. Prince Albert might be trying to protect her and their relationship from the media. Maybe they just want to enjoy some time together without media persecution. He seems happy and not all over town with different women. I would like to see him settled and enjoying a family life with Charlene, their children, his children and his country.

[sm1939]

Originally Posted by miraglia1983

No, is the answer. We don't know what is happening behind closed doors. But from what I can see in photos, Prince Albert and Charlene seem happy and having a lot of fun together. There have been reports that Charlene is studying French, that she is meeting with some priest to convert to catholicism. At the last Red Cross Ball, I saw Virginia Gallico, lady in waiting to Princess Grace and Caroline, right next to her indicating when she should move up to the prince and princesses. I think she needs time to get used to her new life in Monaco, very different from South Africa, time to learn her future role and to live with a 50 year old bachelor who must be very set in his ways. We all know that once they announce an engagement, it will be a media fiasco just like is happened to Princess Diana. Charlene will be persecuted mercilessly by the paparazzi. Prince Albert might be trying to protect her and their relationship from the media. Maybe they just want to enjoy some time together without media persecution. He seems happy and not all over town with different women. I would like to see him settled and enjoying a family life with Charlene, their children, his children and his country.

its so nice and refreshing to read somthing
Positive about albert and charlene.

[rominet09]

I agree with you, I love that couple too and I really hope to hear something official soon !

[olga101]

Originally Posted by Tosca

Well, but if you don't want to be asked the same question, then stop giving interviews!

Seriously, here there experienced journalists posting on the forums, as I can assume from their posts. So they know much better than I do, that interviews, and consequently questions are usually fixed in advance.

Then if you don't want to be asked about your love life, do as Ducruet does when he says to the journalists that are going to interview him : " I do not want to talk about my children or about my relations with Stephanie!"
Or, if the journalist presses him, he can just answer with a no comment, without acting in anger in front of a camera, which is not so nice to the audience, and doesn't favor him.

I've seen a similar anger before which I took to be a sort of, of course immature, but a touch of mild arrogance and a don't you dare to try to corner or trap me.Then maybe some kind of guilt ? Considering the practices in the past. Sort of. It, in my opinion should make the woman in question not be too flattered. I can't agree that it is a result of repeatedly answering the same question. As you say-not favorable for anyone--the listener, and most of all the beloved one. Hopefully, they understand and feel adaquately loved.

[hibou]

Originally Posted by olga101

I've seen a similar anger before which I took to be a sort of, of course immature, but a touch of mild arrogance and a don't you dare to try to corner or trap me.Then maybe some kind of guilt ? Considering the practices in the past. Sort of. It, in my opinion should make the woman in question not be too flattered. I can't agree that it is a result of repeatedly answering the same question. As you say-not favorable for anyone--the listener, and most of all the beloved one. Hopefully, they understand and feel adaquately loved.

Olga, I pretty much agree, but in Albert's case it could simply be entitlement. He feels now that he is sovereign he can do as he pleases. No questions asked. If I were Charlene, I would have left long ago. I wouldn't have move to Monaco with out a ring either.

[NGalitzine]

Of course it is possible that neither party is interested in a traditional marriage/official ceremony and that the relationship as it exists works perfectly well for them both. Free to be together when they wish and just a free to be apart when they wish.

[hibou]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

Of course it is possible that neither party is interested in a traditional marriage/official ceremony and that the relationship as it exists works perfectly well for them both. Free to be together when they wish and just a free to be apart when they wish.

Of course it possible but not probable because of Charlene's connection to her special friend at Bunte that she gave a big hug too not too long ago. If both were content with the arrangement, why would Charlene be chatting with the Bunte reporter and why would Bunte be fueling the wedding rumors? Not to mention her statements that she doesn't know where the relationship is going which has been mentioned recently too. Had she not promoted herself with the press, I would tend to have agreed more fully with your statement. Also if he were not supporting her and she had her own source of income, I would tend to find it more believable as well. JMO

Glad to see you posting once again!