I completely missed the little fact that His Serene Highness, Prince Albert of Monaco, and his fiancée Charlene Wittstock were at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding. These are photos of Charlene and Albert leaving the wedding – Charlene is very pretty isn’t she? She looks a great deal like Albert’s mother, and this pale blue/grey color suits her beautifully. I hate the collar on the jacket, though. But it’s a wonderful hat!
So, I keep forgetting that there’s another big royal wedding coming up. I probably forget because the whole deal kind of weirds me out. Come July 2, His Serene Highness Price Albert, the sovereign of Monaco, will wed his fiancée Charlene Wittstock. It’s not really a fairy tale, considering Albert is 53 years old and already the father of two illegitimate children. I’m not trying to be rude or nasty by pointing out the “illegitimacy” of his children – I’m merely stating that since they were not conceived within marriage, they have zero claim to the Grimaldi throne. I’m also using those terms to underline the fact that Albert might not be some royal prize of a husband, you know? Still, he seems like a nice enough man, and maybe Charlene will make him happy. She’s South African, an Olympic swimmer and….? Sure. Why not marry Prince Albert, I guess.
Do you think Prince Albert was mad that Kate Middleton jacked his mother’s famous wedding gown design? Maybe. Or maybe he was honored. I wonder if anyone from the British royal family will attend Albert’s wedding? Doubtful. Bono isn’t even coming to Albert’s wedding! Poor Albert. Maybe Sarko will come. But you know what? I bet some crazy junk goes down at Albert’s wedding, just because I imagine Princess Caroline having some kind of meltdown because she’s no longer the de facto First Lady. Hahaha. I need a live feed of that!
Photos courtesy of Fame.
Although she is gorgeous, I do not see the resemblance to Princess Grace.
Kaiser, two points.
one – I must comment on the gap between new posts on weekends. Sometimes I have a meltdown waiting for new stuff! You can’t cut me off like that – I need a constant flow of new gossip & the bitchier the better. Thanks – I love your website.
two – I like the collar of her jacket – very retro (’50’s)
She has had a lot of plastic surgery but she does look good imo. Her wardrobe is to die for – which isn’t strange as Albert is supposedly filthy rich.
Does he ever get to be King Albert?
@ Jane Q :
No, his father was Prince Ranier – not King Ranier. I think it has something to do with Monaco only being a principality – i.e. of France. So he isn’t going to be the king because Monaco isn’t a country proper.
I was surprised no on really cared they were there especially with their wedding coming up in 8 weeks. The media has shown no interest at all- accept to point out they were scolded for showing up late for the Pre-Dinner after the queen.
But your are right there is no fairy tale. The prince seems like a really nice guy but he is older with a few illegitimate kids. Charlene Wittstock has had multiple plastic surgeries to look like Grace but I don’t see any resembelence at all- and she becomes the Step-Mother. Never painted well in fairytales.
I guess bottom line- no one cares.
Jane – No, the Monaco monarch never takes the title “King”. They are just “His Serene Highness, Prince —“.
@NJMDPS
Maybe the nose/jaw area…? I kinda see a little resemblance..
No, Monaco is a principality, so he’ll always be His Serene Highness, Prince Albert of Monaco. But he’s filthy rich and needs a legitimate heir or the throne will go to Caroline’s son, Andrea. At least that’s what I’ve read. His pants are way too big on him btw. I hope Charlene wears something spectacular at her wedding. I expect Armani, but no lace and frilly things. Simple and classic.
Monaco is a principality or princedom so the head of state is a prince/princess.
Who would have thought George Costanza could pull that level of babe.
Actually I thought he has to have a ‘legitimate’ son or else the whole country reverts to France? Am I wrong?
EDIT: They signed a new treaty in 2002 so the rules have changed.
You didn’t mention Charlene Wittstock’s age. She was born January 25, 1978.
So Albert is 53 and she is 33. Quite an age difference.
Kaiser,
Re : my earlier comment – I feel guilty for such a whiny comment. So sorry, darling.
Has she had work? She looks the same as when she was swimming at the olympics a few years ago…
And they’ve known each other for 10 years (been together since 06), so I’m sure she’s not in the dark about those things. And his wandering ways seems to have calmed down since dating her.
But yea-Caroline is going to have a complete meltdown.
Oh, I think she is lovely!! The jacket is beautiful … I think if she had added a pearl necklace … large white pearls … it would have been absolutely perfect. I look forward to seeing their wedding pics! And isn’t there another English royal wedding this summer? Lady Zara or something like that? I thought she was stunning in grey at Kate’s wedding.
I also don’t get the she’s had a lot of work done comments. Charlene has been at Albert’s side for years and years and has always looked the same.
I don’t think Caroline will have a meltdown though, but I suspect some incident of epic proportions if her estranged husband Prinz Ernst August of Hannover shows up at the wedding. He’s been known for behaving not so princely when drunk.
age doesn’t always matter his parents were nearly 7 years apart and if still alive woudl still be married infact for 55 years as of April 18th 2011 some year and 19 days after his mother Grace hd won the best actress oscar. he’s 13 months and 22 days younger than his sister Caroline. other crowned heads of state always attend royal weddings
Pretty sure she has had no work done either. She looks exactly the same when they first started dating five years ago. I think she really is that pretty naturally. She seems happy with him and has stuck by his side despite all the announcements that he fathered children outside of marriage.
Love the reference/comparison to George Costanza!!!
The before and after photos are shocking. Charlene Wittstock has had so much plastic surgery that she looks like a fake plastic doll. She used to be okay looking. I never thought she needed any surgery at all- so never could understand why she did that to herself. She looks good from a distance but upclose- very fake and plastic. She can barely smile anymore.
She looks like a totally different person than the girl who showed up in Monaco penniless- in 2006. The Prince has changed here completely into what he wanted before he proposed.
OMG George Costanza- that is too funny.
George Costanza and his plastic doll don’t seem to be sparking the interest of the media. Perhaps the cheating stories will make the front pages in the future.
I’d spotted them there – and wondered on how he felt too. But I didn’t like his fiancée’s outfit at all on screen. It looked very baggy for her.
In fairness, given that he was Europe’s most eligible bachelor in the 80s and 90s, it’s surprising that he doesn’t have more illegitimate children. There was a lot of snottiness about his suitability to rule, especially within European press. Possibly because he’d always come across as a more confident speaker in English than French.
On primogeniture, I believe that there is plans to reverse that so that Caroline’s children could inherit the title.
It’ll be very interesting to see who does get invited to that wedding – 3500 guests are to be invited apparently. There was a nice little article on him which mentions the wedding in the Irish Times before his recent state visit.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2011/0402/1224293339130.html
The papers had a good number of photographs of him and Charlene at that time, and if she’s had work done, it is spectacular.
She looks like she has a stomach ache.
I don’t get where everyone thinks Kate jacked Graces wedding gown. So both had long sleeves and lace up top and that’s enough to be considered a knock off of sorts? I see it as more of a diss to the Sarah Burton who couldn’t come up with a more unique dress. That dress could’ve been designed by many so I’m disapointed Kate didn’t take more advantage of Sarahs talents.
I’ll be curious to see Charlenes wedding gown. It’s being designed by Giorgio Armani and he certainly knows how to do elegance. Am I off to wonder if Charlenes dress might be more forward in look than Kates even though Alexander McQueen is certainly a more outrageous designer house?
Charlene’s ring is pretty:
http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities-news-in-pics/23-06-2010/54176/
D-A-M-N!
his hotness is definitely a thing of the past! 🙁
She absolutely has had a lot of work done. Her nose and mouth look like every other molded nose and mouth out there.
Also, she’s had extensive dental work done as well, it appears. The HuffPo has pictures of her from 1998 and unless you’re blind, you’d concede that she has absolutely has done much to her face.
She’s beautiful and he is a fat little toad.
@courtney – I’m not negating anything you say, but before Princess Grace’s untimely death, she and Prince Rainier were living very separate lives. While it is likely they would have stayed married, by many accounts their marriage was not idyllic. Age probably doesn’t have anything to do with that, though.
i’m a little surprised the photos of the boys getting dressed for the wedding haven’t made it here yet. i thought for sure prince harry in his fancy underwear would have been a hit!
@tess The story I heard on the the marraige of Grace and Prince Rainier is that it wasn’t ever a fairy tale marriage. Grace was afraid of aging in Hollywood and married Ranier not realizing what the royal life would entail. After the marriage she begged her Hollywood friends to come visit her because she would never be allowed to return to her old life. She was said to complain that every day for the rest of her life was planned out for her. I don’t envy her or any of these Princesses and although Kate and William seem genuinely in love I don’t think these things are as glamorous as the media believes.
Rainier married Grace Kelly for the Kelly family money (and Kelly’s father, allegedly, specifically approached Rainier to arrange that marriage because Kelly wanted Grace to be royalty and he knew Rainier was financially desperate).
Rainier was not permitted to marry his “true love” because the royal physicians declared her infertile. She went on to marry and have a few children with someone else. I highly doubt that Rainier was a joy for Grace Kelly to be with after that.
The only thing I can think of when I see him is how Kendra outed him in both in a GND episode and commentary for ogling her breasts. Apparently he was more than a little displeased when the episode aired.
She definitely has that “wistful beauty” thing going on in picture #2.
LOL @ Luise 🙂
Yes Grace was miserable in her role there- but stayed on for the children.
This wedding between Prince Albert & Charlene Wittstock is another arranged marriage situation. He needs an heir and wants to keep his playboy lifestyle on the side. She is 20 years younger looking for an older sugar daddy. I think most of the media knows that- it’s a train wreck waiting to happen. That’s why the media is not touching it with a ten foot pole.
Grace was the most famous woman in the world before she married Rainier and brought all the media attention. Few people follow Prince Albert and no one has ever heard of Charlene Wittstock.
I feel sorry for both of them. How terrible to be trapped in a loveless marriage of convenience. Very sad.
LOL at George Costanza! I was thinking Beauty and the Beast. Gives some credence to the adage that there’s no such thing as an ugly millionaire. Or likely billionaire in this case.
I doubt he’s really in love with her. The women he had kids with are probably his true to type but because they aren’t considered “suitable” princess material, he’s settling down with this chick. Sad how people will trade love and happiness for wealth and status…
His son with the airline stewardess is adorable. It’s sad he’s not eligible to have titles or anything 🙁
It you told me he was 63, I’d be more likely to believe it. He looks old and it’s not from hard work or worrying about how he’s going to pay the bills.
Charlene was the best dressed woman at the wedding. Tres classy and contemporary. Unlike most of the other motley, tweedy, guests. Funny, chuck and di’s guests looked better and that was 30 bloody years ago.
Her entire self has been worked over to be exactly what the Prince wants. And the prince himself is no prize. Big philander and sleeps with anyone with a pulse. I’m sure the diseases he’s had could keep infection disease lab at WHO busy for years.
Monaco is weird because its such a small sovereign nation, a great deal of the citizens of Monaco either benefit from the Grimaldi wealth by paying no taxes, or work directly for the Grimaldi family vis-a-vis their casino operations and other business ventures through the state.
It’s basically like the Grimaldis are this extremely wealthy family with a special contract from the French government to set their own laws & provide their own services for their people. The people in Monaco all benefit from the complete lack of taxes because the casino funds all the services. Hence, the people of Monaco don’t feel like the Grimaldi’s necessarily owe them a big showy wedding. Monaco, its more like going to your bosses wedding.
England, the people wonder what they get from the monarchy. What they get is good will, tourism, major international press coverage. Positive press. The Brits pay for the Royals to sell them. Thats their deal.
Oh, you all with your mature comments and thoughts and whatnot. I think we all want to know if he actually HAS a Prince Albert.
Lets not forget Monaco is well known for its shady business world as well, which everyone in the principality profits from, particularly the prince, he is said to be worth well over a billion Euros.
Fact: Monaco is the biggest gold smuggling port in the world, in deed it is a smugglers paradise for high end crooks. Money laundering through the casino is also said to be a big earner for the Monegasques
I think all of Albert’s and Stephanie’s children are illegitimate.
Well, now I am completely convinced that Wills popped the question to Kate in order to NOT look like George Costanza at his own wedding!
There is absolutely no resemblance to Princess Grace. Charlene is a “pretty” girl, but certainly not a beauty. Nothing like her mother-in-law!!!!
Oh so who wants to look like Grace Kelly….I never thought she was beautiful AND she had many lovers…..so what….she didnt do a good job with her kids and towards the end was hitting the bottle quite hard according to the gossip mongers…
The woman from Togo is no oil painting …. I think she (Charlene)loves him warts and all….good luck to them
Balding Albert looks like Charlene’s daddy rather than husband-to-be. What’s with the nasty little smirk on his face? Did he know that the British Royals had booked a trip to Canada and the US as they would never lower themselves to attend his wedding?