Since we started the day with royals, let’s keep it going with royal news and check in on Princess Serene Charlene of Monaco who stepped out with Prince Albert on Saturday, and their twins, Gabriella and Jacques, at the International Rugby Tournament. The Grimaldis have been pretty quiet for a while now. Charlene just celebrated her 40th birthday in January. In July they’ll celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary. Gabriella and Jacques will be 4 at the end of the year. While their marriage endured a gossipy beginning, it seems to have found stride as their children have evidently strengthened their partnership. Or established for Charlene a certain freedom, ironically. I mean, she’s definitely fulfilled one of her duties. Do you remember what the first few years of life were like for her in Monaco? She was criticised mercilessly by Monegasques. In Monaco, the gossips are vipers. There were all kinds of rumours that she and Princesses Caroline and Stephanie hated each other. She had no friends. She was lonely. With her children, her status now seems to have solidified. This is the reality of royal living.
The Daily Mail published an article yesterday comparing Charlene’s style to Meghan Markle’s, with side-by-side shots of similar outfits, suggesting that Charlene may be Meghan’s royal style inspiration. I wonder if Charlene and Albert will be at Meghan and Harry’s wedding. They attended Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding. Will and Kate, however, did not go to Charlene and Albert’s wedding. They were conveniently scheduled to be on a tour of Canada at the time. Will and Kate had to invite Albert because of Will’s position in succession. Meghan and Harry’s wedding isn’t considered a full-blown state celebration. So, technically, they don’t have to invite every royal across the continents.
Harry has met Charlene before though. Remember this photo?
What do you think she’s thinking?
When these photos were taken, Harry had already fallen in love with Meghan. He had just launched his Love Shield defence of her a few days before this event. Charlene had to have heard about it. If I were her, I’d be like, the dude I married stood beside me grinning like an idiot when I was crying at the altar. And now I’m standing next to a prince who wrote a letter to tell the world how much he cares about his (then)girlfriend.
