Albert & Charlene: The Engagement Interview

[COUNTESS]

Actually, I write in three others, but, with difficulty and, certainly, not as well as English. And, it wasn't meant to criticize, but compliment, as I am in great admiration to see someone struggle and learn another language and try. I think it is great. I think you, for whom, English is a second or third language do a wonderful job, but that being said, why can't you see that Charlene is, also, in that boat.

 

[rosana]

Actually, I write in three others, but, with difficulty and, certainly, not as well as English. And, it wasn't meant to criticize, but compliment, as I am in great admiration to see someone struggle and learn another language and try. I think it is great. I think you, for whom, English is a second or third language do a wonderful job, but that being said, why can't you see that Charlene is, also, in that boat.

CW is so lucky to live in a French speaking country and her French is so bad as she had attended a few classes. there is no excuse, sorry. It´s been 4 years.

Moonmaiden. I don´t know how to answer to your comments. I´m perplexed. Stephanie has three beautiful and healthy children. It doens´t matter with whom. We should be talking of a blessing, not a problem.
Families are not more what they used to be. parents cannot always live together, and not because of it they are bad parents.

 

[melina premiere]

Moonmaiden, I agree wiyh you, it's not because you have beautiful and healthy children, that you cannot critize her mothers, I don-t understand why some people here are so admirating on Caroline and Stephanie and so critize about Charlene Wittstock. For the children Charlene will have beautiful children like her sisters in law for me, It's the way of life we could critize on Carolin and Stephanie, For Caroline, apart Stephano Casiraghy, She had a first divorce, many lovers and She stole the man of a friend (Chantal of Hanovre), she married because she wait a baby now she lives apart of Ernst August and she has a new lover and then she is not divorced because she don't wanto lose her title of Royale Altesse and she is snob. Stephanie had a trsahed life ,she had three divorces, she followed the knie circus with children because she loved his director who was married. What exemple do they give for her Chidren the both siters, but they are princess don't critic them.But Charlene, many critics, she had no child, she is discrete, she leaves the first place to the prince Albert in the even, but critic critic, there is no love between the two, in the interview she must answer this, she has surgery,(we forget that queen Fabiola had surgery on her nose long time before her weedding and she was a great queen),What I see, Charlene is brave, she goes to the christmas bath for charity of monaco in december 10°c. She will train for midmare mile before her weedding, she will be an other princess , I hope she will make a good work. What is my side

 

[Renata4711]

Am I right in thinking that this is the "Interview" thread ??

If so, do we really have yet another full re-hash of the entire family's lives here?

Rosana, I agree with you on the lack of progress by CW in improving her French. I still think Pa should have played a stronger role in encouraging her to make more of an effort. But perhaps he is still so smitten with her that he lets her have her own way ??

 

[rosana]

At least the princesses had their children with the men they loved. They married and divorced, They fell in love again, that´s what happens in REAL lilfe. No one is married for ever anymore, and I don´t see why such a scandal for a couple of divorces. Some people need to go outdoors and see what´s going on there.

This "lovely" couple has gone through difficult times as far as I know. PA cannot have a steady couple, he never could, so don´t put them in a pedestal in advance.

 

[Zonk]

Let's stick to the topic of the interview.

All future posts that deter from the topic will be deleted.

There is a Relationship thread regarding Charlene and Albert that people can discuss the specifics of their relationship without saying the same thing in every thread.

 

[Lakshmi]

The journalist interviewing Charlene was very nice to her. He gave her all easy questions and she had problem answering hem even in English. She is not prepared to handle reporters. And again it is not her first interview. Charlene was blatantly unprepared. IMO it show she does not treat her future duties seriously.

 

[Nathalie Cox]

^Yes, that's what i think too. She could have been nervous, that's normal, but she has had an interview before and in that one she was more relaxed and more natural than in this one. I don't know what happened here.

 

[Renata4711]

I remember another interview several years ago, when PA agreed to speak about the "discovery" of Alexandre. It was Patrick Poivre d'Arvor who interviewed PA, and he did not make it easy

PPDA has mellowed considerably since then, and has retired, and he gave PA and CW very easy questions.

If they can't handle him now, then I wonder whether PA will be able to manage CW...

 

[Blackadder]

That's one of the oddest interviews I have ever watched. Wittstock's French is more than lousy for someone who has apparently learned it 4 years.

 

[Sofiero]

Why cannot she wait until she has been married. Who is pushing or forcing her being eager interviews.... for tabloids and covers, she has no patience until she will be married

 

[Renata4711]

This wasn't any old interview - it was THE interview to show the whole world that they were engaged to be married !!

For that rather special occasion, both of them could have put some work and thought into it.

 

[politikgirl]

That was an extremely disappointing interview. I didn't have any real problems with Ms. Wittstock until I saw the interview, but now having seen it, I think she comes across as slightly arrogant, lacking in class and not very sensible. While I understand nerves and a new language (though I have to say, Maxima of the Netherlands is evidence that a new language can be overcome with brains and hard work), I don't think these factor excuse the way she behaved. For example, the "OK" instead of "thank you" at the end seemed rude, the "give us a break" comment was lacking in class and she doesn't seem to have the common sense to give the socially acceptable answers ("we would love to start a family of our own" rather than "give us a break"). In contrast to other engagement interviews, including the most recent Prince William/Catherine Middleton interview, I was very disappointed, especially since Ms. Wittstock is older than Ms. Middleton (and therefore should act in a more mature manner) and Ms. Wittstock is marrying someone who is already the ruling royal, rather than the heir to the heir to the monarch (and should thus be more "ready" for the role).

Her French wasn't terrible, but considering she's had 4 years to learn it (and a lot of time to do so, since she hasn't been doing much else), I was really unimpressed with her French.

 

[goody7058]

I don't think CW like being question in french. It a hard language to learn. Anybody who was born in france know french well. But still she have to kill the attitude. If she don't want to be question don't go on-air. PA shouldn't let her go knowing she don't like it. Tell reporter that she won't answer question about children, marriage or dealing with personal business. Maybe PA stop letting her do interview.

 

[melina premiere]

It was not a engagement interview, it was the last part of a interview of Prince Albert for hie five years of reign, The report Patrick Poivre D'Avord said a month ago that Charlene Wittstoch must not be interviewed, it was just a week after the engagement annonce, and the report asked if he could see and quote Charlene and the Prince agreed.It was not prepared like the one of Kate who was coached and Kate has the same language English, Charlene must speak french there is a difference . The report repeated twice mile why they wait so much time for the weedding, and if they want children.Those questions, he quote them to the prince Albert in the part and He asked this questions in the part 6 when he met Charlene. His questions were confused but the Prince and Charlene stayed very polit. This interview was in july six months ago and it is no more new why come back on this? there other news to comment

 

[Christine10]

I agree with Politigirl's statement about "the" interview. Good luck to Monaco, i personally feel it lacks the class and sophistication that Ranier and Grace brought. Anyone can get dressed up and play pretend, but come on, the girl didn't even finish grade school, what she dropped out at 7th grade... Good luck.

 

[FanofMonaco]

Thomas Edison dropped out of school in the 6th grade. It didn't seem to hold him or Charlene back. I think Charlene dropped out of high school to work on her swimming. Being an Olympian is quite an accomplishment. Whoever marries PA will have a tough act to follow. She will not only be compared to PG, but also to PC and Charlotte. It's an impossible situation to be in.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

Some of us simply are not able to learn foreign languages easily (or at all) and it has nothing to do with anything else. I have a Masters and a law degree to boot, but can't seem to learn any modern foreign language, even at lower school levels. I did OK with Latin. Luckily, that is considered a foreign language.

Charlene does not appear to be a vegetable and I am sure she has interests and perhaps even talents, that have not yet been revealed to us.

 

[Renata4711]

Kitty Atlanta is right - we can't, at this stage, have any real knowledge of her potential as a princess. Looking at pictures is useful, but not enough.

Regarding the famous "Interview", PA could have done better in choosing an interviewer for him and CW.

Patrick Poivre d'Arvor is involved in a plagiarism lawsuit - not exactly good publicity before the wedding.
He is appearing in court on February 9th.

http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2...-ppda-poursuivi-pour-un-precedent-plagiat.php

 

[Zonk]

It was not a engagement interview, it was the last part of a interview of Prince Albert for hie five years of reign, The report Patrick Poivre D'Avord said a month ago that Charlene Wittstoch must not be interviewed, it was just a week after the engagement annonce, and the report asked if he could see and quote Charlene and the Prince agreed.It was not prepared like the one of Kate who was coached and Kate has the same language English, Charlene must speak french there is a difference . The report repeated twice mile why they wait so much time for the weedding, and if they want children.Those questions, he quote them to the prince Albert in the part and He asked this questions in the part 6 when he met Charlene. His questions were confused but the Prince and Charlene stayed very polit. This interview was in july six months ago and it is no more new why come back on this? there other news to comment

People choose to comment because obviously the topic interests them. In the British Forum we have members who are still talking about Diana's Panaroma interview.

 

[politikgirl]

This interview was in july six months ago and it is no more new why come back on this? there other news to comment

I just saw the interview yesterday, so I commented on it yesterday. I didn't realize that there was a limitation period for when one could comment on something. Someone better inform historians all over the world that something from more than six months ago shouldn't be commented on; apparently there are other things to comment on that are more worthy...

 

[KittyAtlanta]

As for old news, how about the people who are still commenting on Charlene's lack of education; it must have been about 16 years ago that she decided to leave school!!!

 

[melina premiere]

king Baudoin became sovereign at 20 , during the war, he was prisoner by germans, he could not go to the Rosey Collège because he was very bad, he said it himself later, he went to a college of Geneve in switzerland where he had the baccalaureat, he could not go to universitat nor to go to a military school, but he learned during his life of king and he became a graet king.King of Sweden is dyslexic and her girl, princess Victoria is also dislexic, she could not learn by seing but a teacher resumed the text she learned.It is not the studies you make, you can learn all your life if you want. I know many persons who did not go to school a long time but they know many things (history, geograpy, languages) by reading. We will see what Charlene will make, it is said that she learns a lot now(language, history of Monaco and France and Italy, the rules of the yard and the catholic religion).That is why we don't see her during long period.Wait and see

 

[rosana]

As for old news, how about the people who are still commenting on Charlene's lack of education; it must have been about 16 years ago that she decided to leave school!!!

It´s not old news. She still lacks education. You don´t need to go to University to be "educated". She did nothing at all all this years, as far as I know. She´s just plain.

 

[COUNTESS]

The operative words are, "as far as I know". So, you, really don't know anything about how she may study different subjects in private, with a private tutor, or read a great deal of information and be educating herself that, way. And, none of us knows anything, firsthand. She is hardly plain, she is stunning.

 

[PrincessDianafan]

I saw the interview on Youtube. She seemed all right in the beginning and then seemed to falter at the end. After saying ok when the interviewer wished them well, she did say a very quick thank you. I think she is the type of person who is very off the cuff and uncensored. She perhaps speaks first and thinks about it later. I do think she needs to think about the questions and take time to deliberate things because to some she may come across as a bit aloof. I heard of an interview in which she stated she only had two friends in Monaco. A bit strange after spending so much time there and if it is true she didn't need to state the number. She could have said she met a lot of very nice people over the years and from that she has gained a number of very good friends. Being a member of a royal family you have to be diplomatic and tactful. As for education, Princess Diana was not highly educated but she was much loved. Charlene needs to be diplomatic and cautious if she doesn't want to be seen as someone who is snooty.

 

[Patra]

I didnt realize Charlene's limited education-

 

[Renata4711]

PrincessDianaFan, you're right about Diana being much loved. Okay, perhaps she didn't have a degree, but she would have been educated in how to behave well.

Charlene doesn't have either, as far as I can see. Let's hope she can acquire a bit of "spit and polish" in the time left before the wedding.

 

[carlota]

i was so (negatively) impressed by this interview:

-charlene's comment: "i want to explore france" when engaged to the prince of monaco
-her reaction to the question of the children, "give us a break"
-the way the didn't even thank the interviewer when he wished all the best

i don't think her french is a problem. she will learn it as she goes along and monaco has so many international citizens. besides, many princesses, appart from maxima, did their engagement interviews in other languages or partially. what i found most off was her attitude in general, it seems very odd for an engagement interview... luckily albert was there to help.

 

[Renata4711]

Sorry, but I blame PA for this. He should have got a grip on the situation, well before the interview.
If he thinks that Monaco will profit from the "Charlene effect", he will have to put a lot more work into managing the situation.