Who is Princess Charlene of Monaco, Prince Albert of Monaco’s wife?
PRINCE ALBERT is one of the richest royals in the world and has ruled over Monaco since 2005.
The head of state is the son of iconic American movie star Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III, and has had his wife Princess Charlene by his side since their wedding in 2011.
Who is Prince Albert's wife Princess Charlene?
Former Olympic swimmer Charlene, Princess of Monaco was born Charlene Lynette Wittstock on January 25, 1978, in Zimbabwe.
She later spent some of her childhood in South Africa and went on to represent the country at the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games, as well as at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, with her team finishing fifth in the 4 × 100-metre medley relay.
Charlene also won three gold medals and a silver medal at the 1999 All-Africa Games in Johannesburg, but retired from competitive swimming in 2007.
Prince Albert met his future wife in 2000, at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo.
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The couple announced their engagement in June 2010 and wed a year later on July 1, 2011.
How old is Princess Charlene of Monaco?
The Princess Consort of Monaco turned 45 in January 2023.
She is 20 years younger than her husband, who turned 65 in March 2023.
What is Princess Charlene's net worth?
Princess Charlene's net worth is estimated to be around £112million.
Her husband, meanwhile, reportedly has personal assets valued over $1billion, making him one of the richest royals in the world.
His large net worth can be attributed to his shares in Societe des bins de mer de Monaco, which operates Monaco’s casino venues.
He also owns land in France and Monaco.
Does Princess Charlene speak French?
When she married Prince Albert, Princess Charlene could not speak French, the official language of Monaco.
She has since made efforts to learn the language and in 2015 she delivered her first public speech in French.
Princess Charlene also speaks English and Afrikaans.
Do Prince Albert and Princess Charlene have children?
Princess Charlene and Prince Albert share two children, twins Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Jacques Honoré Rainier.
The Princess' pregnancy was announced on May 30, 2014, and the twins were born on December 10, 2014.
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Why did Princess Charlene cry at her wedding?
Princess Charlene was famously pictured crying after her and Prince Albert's wedding ceremony.
She later attributed the tears to the event being "so overwhelming," in an interview with .
The royal wedding took place at the Prince's Palace of Monaco and the people of Monaco enjoyed a two-day public holiday for the celebrations.
What illness did Princess Charlene have?
For much of 2021 Princess Charlene was in South Africa due to an illness that meant she was unable to return home to Monaco.
In May of that year, the Princess contracted an ear, nose and throat (ENT) infection was not allowed to fly back to the French Riviera.
At the time, the palace said: "During a trip to the African continent as part of a wildlife conservation mission, Princess Charlene contracted an ENT infection that does not allow her to travel."
Princess Charlene eventually returned to Monaco at the end of 2021, but continued to struggle with her health, resulting in the palace officially announcing that she was taking "time to recover."
Prince Albert later explained that he and Charlene's family had stepped in to help the Princess and encourage her to seek treatment.
He told : "I sat her down with her brothers and a sister-in-law. She had already made her decision, and we only wanted her to confirm it in front of us. She wanted this. She already knew the best thing to do was to go and have a rest and have a real medically framed treatment. And not in Monaco. For privacy reasons, it would have to be someplace outside of Monaco."
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Addressing the speculation regarding his wife's health, he assured the publication that were struggles were nothing to do with Covid-19, cancer, a personal relationship issue, plastic surgery or facial work.
Princess Charlene has since made a return to public life.