Why are so many of you finding something wrong with this relationship? Forget what the magazines say and let's see what happens in the future. The age difference is a big deal, 20 years is a big deal. But other than that, we can suggest that maybe Charlene is in this relationship for the money. But is he such a fool to go along with it? Why? Why would he? If he does love her, then no matter what people argue and discuss about, he will keep her no matter what it takes. But why wouldn't she love him? He is charming and handsome, so well educated and fascinating. Any woman would. His world is so different from any common man that any woman would be fascinated by what he can offer. I would love to see him surrounded by his children some day and enjoying a fulfilling life with a wife he loves and his children. Only a woman Charlene's age can give him children and that is important. He has been fooling around for too long and now he needs to settle down. Charlene is the woman by his side for a while now and maybe for a long time.
What I find wrong with this relationship? Sheez, where to start?
First and foremost, I don't see mutual love, not even attraction between them. I know some people see nothing but two lovestruck people, but I'm not one of them. If I had the feeling they were madly in love, I'd probably be more reconciled with the situation and prepared to overlook a lot of the gripes I have with it.
Secondly, there's the lies. And the lies by omission. Albert doesn't treat Charlene the way he has always said he would treat the woman he loved (i.e. keep her hidden, save her the ordeal of the media attention for as long as possible). Everything Albert has ever said about how he would treat the love of his life, how he would handle the situation, all the stories and tricks he'd pull to shake off the paparazzi so he'd could have a private evening out: it's not happening here. Even their "private" holidays are happily documented by the media without any repercussions. And the lies by omission: Albert is not doing a single thing to confirm or deny the hype. He could put the whole thing to rest with a single sentence but instead keeps mum about everything and pretends Charlene doesn't exist and hasn't been surgically attached to his hip and as if it's business as usual instead of a breach of protocol. So the thing keeps festering on and on...
Charlene is not much better, she has been giving interviews, soundbites and cheery quips since the first days of the Olympics. (Actually since her first date with Albert in 2001.) One theme dominated: swimming and getting to the 2008 Olympics in particular. However, she "forgot" to mention that that Olympic participation depended on her recovering from a persistent injury? And now she's throwing away her life's dream just like that without even trying? Not even
trying to qualify? If only for your own peace of mind? So you can't blame anyone or yourself for not at least trying? For someone with just one goal and one dream, she's giving up very easily? And the built-up was so nice: stories about sponsorships, training, even making the SA national team without barely putting a toe into the water, supported by paparazzi photos of Charlene training and going to the physiotherapist. Lovely warm stories by Bunte giving updates and in December quoting Charlene's trainer Branny Ivkovic saying she was nearly swimming her old times again and insinuating that all was well and that her full-blown return was just a formality. And now she gives up without a fight? I can't help but think it was all spin and not the truth. Besides, I read a quote from Graham Hill recently, the trainer of the national SA squad, and he said Charlene quit swimming because there was too much competition. Mmmm, food for thought that one?
Thirdly, I have the feeling something odd is going here. Mostly a gut feeling, but also based on (circumstantial) evidence. Charlene is trotted out on certain occasions, but is
extremely hidden for the rest of the time. And I mean extremely hidden. I haven't encountered anything that is so well hidden as an off-duty Charlene. State secrets are a public affair compared to her. Swiss banking secrecy is a joke compared to Charlene's secrets. Where does she stay? Where does she shop? What does she do all day when she's not with Albert? Doesn't she come out of her hidey-hole once in a while? So far I haven't seen any photos of it while her practically in-laws are photographed doing things like shopping or eating or hanging out in the park so once in while. And there is the oddness that she goes to one or two soccer matches, but doesn't attend all of them. To all accounts, Albert was Charlene-less when AS Monaco was steamrollered by Bordeaux yesterday evening. So why wasn't she there? Why wasn't she at the World Music Awards, the Hanenkammrennen? She was there in the vicinity, but Albert went without her? What urgent business could a jobless person have that prevented her from attending together with the love of her life?
Fourthly, nothing seems to happen. Progress doesn't seem to happen. Not only does the (alleged) relationship seem to be stuck in a rut but so does Charlene. She doesn't seem to have progressed one single bit in two years time and seems unable to learn. Her clothes, her style, her make-up, her manners, her obvious akwardness in public, her language skills, her matureness, everything is the same as it was two years ago.
To be honest, I think Charlene is going backwards instead of forwards. She is becoming more and more a caricature of herself and looks unhappy most of the time. Combine that with letting slip her (alleged) life's dream and I get the feeling she might sometime come to regret things very much. Or blame it on Albert.
I could go on, but these are the things that immediately come to mind. No doubt better examples and arguments and wordings will come to me at some point. Lots more things are odd: Charlene's father and coach being so talkative. Albert playing his game but letting others do the talking so he can later deny having given any cause for the hype. The oddness that while Albert and Charlene's "private" holidays are so happily documented, they do seem to be able to go places without being photographed. So they
can manage it sometimes, so why not all the time? How arranged are those "paparazzi" photos? Questions, questions, and sadly no means and no opportunity to research answers. I wish I had......
Disclaimer: the above is my opinion and my opinion only, except for any quotes which are the sole opinion of the quotee. I don't ask you to agree with me, but at least do me the courtesy of allowing me my own opinion and respect that there are people that don't necessarily share the same opinion as yours.
JMO.
) will make finding the right woman even more difficult for Albert. I don't know if he knows what he has done to himself by exposing this woman so much.
