Princess Charlene has been in South Africa for more than six months, maybe longer (no one knows). She’s still battling a long-running ENT infection, and she’s had multiple surgeries and procedures to fix the issues. When Charlene left Monaco, she left her twins there. Gabriella and Jacques will turn seven years old in December, and they seem like happy, normal little kids, all things considered. So, one of the unexpected consequences of Charlene’s extended South African stay is that Albert has basically been a single father for much of this year.
I’m sure there are nannies and tutors and maids attending to the children in Charlene’s absence, but give credit where it’s due: Albert seems to enjoy being with his kids, and they are very comfortable with their father. I’ve enjoyed the sight of Albert bringing the kids out to at least a dozen major events in Charlene’s absence. They’ve gone to F1 races and boat things and various sporting events. He’s done official Monaco events with just the kids and they’re getting really good at it. As it turns out, Albert will bring Jacques and Gabriella to Glasgow with him for COP26, the climate conference.
When Prince Albert arrives in Scotland for the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference, he’ll be joined by a pair of VIP guests: Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella! Monaco’s royal twins, who turn 7 on December 10, will “have their own agenda,” Albert tells PEOPLE exclusively.
“They’re on holiday [from school],” he shares. “I didn’t want to leave them alone in Monaco. This way, they will be with me before [Princess] Charlene comes back.”
Fresh off their first official state visit to Ireland, ‘Jacqui and Bella’ will “fringe” on their father’s four-day trip to the environmental summit, with “visits to museums and little places of interest.”
“I think there’s a lot of value, a lot of positives” to their participation in the trip, he tells PEOPLE. “Obviously at that age, 6 or 7, you can’t take them everywhere because they’ll get bored if it’s too official. You have to bring them in slowly into public appearances and different ceremonies. If it’s a trip, that has an official side to it, but also [they’ll need] a private side and things to discover they can find it fun and amusing.”
Albert himself experienced this type of gradual immersion into royal responsibilities, as did his sisters, Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie, thanks to the guidance of parents Princess Grace and Prince Rainier. “Our parents took us on official trips early, but we didn’t feel they were official trips,” he recalls. “When we were young, they would go off and do some sort of serious thing. Then they would be with us in the off time. There was a lot of value to that. Jacques and Gabriella are still at the age when there’s an awful lot of discovery, right and left, on these kinds of trips,” he adds. “It’s fabulous to have these kinds of memories with them.”
I agree, that is the way to do it. To gradually introduce “royal kids” into public life and public duties, letting them do fun appearances, then letting them peel off and do their own thing while their royal parents do the boring stuff. I’m sure Jacques and Gabriella will have some angsty rebellions along the way, but right now, they’re totally comfortable with being at public events, with seeing the cameras and with getting special attention. Albert and Charlene have at least done that right.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
Gabriella has such a cute energy. You can tell she keeps everyone on their toes!
He does seem like an attentive father.
Gabriella is so like her grandma Grace when she was a child.
I just looked up Grace’s childhood photos and you weren’t kidding. Gabriella looks a lot like her.
Holy Cow I just looked up pics and the resemblance is crazy! Grace Kelly Mini-me
I just came here to say the same thing — Princess Grace’s doppelganger for sure!
Yes, this makes sense overall – I mean even taking the royal duties part of it aside, a lot of parents combine business trips with family trips (like one parent has a business meeting in Europe for three days so the whole family goes and the rest do other stuff while the parent is in a meeting and then you spent time together as a family.) Neither my husband nor I have business trips to anywhere fun, sorry boys, LOL.
And I do think he seems to be a good father and they are doing a good job of introducing the kids to royal life at a young age – going to the bigger, more fun events, like races, and also getting them used to cameras and the press etc. but they seem to have a lot of privacy as well during their non-official time.
Albert must have some great advisors. He has gone through so much scandal, all while remaining really popular amongst his people. I don’t doubt that he loves his kids, but I also think that this is all part of the Grimaldi strategy. Giving access to the kids is part of the deal. The Cambridge’s need to take his master class.
Maybe apart from good advisors he is not actively trying to undermine his siblings or their children. Prince Albert and his sisters do seem to get along and always present a united front to the world.
These kids work more than the Cambridges.
You made me spit out my tea with laughter, because you are 💯 correct about this
It’s true. Even Charles of Luxembourg, who just turned 1, has done more than the Cambridges this year (I wish I were exaggerating, but this kid visits seniors’ centres all the time. Hard working bb)
That little cutie outworks the Cambridges without being able to form a complete sentence!
I saw the photos from one of the visits. The joy in the elders faces were hearth warming to see. From the little I know, the CP’s of Luxembourg seems to be quite different from the Cambridges.
I just had to google that. What a lovely idea, bringing him along! He enjoys it, the seniors enjoy, it’s a win win.
Every time l look at Gabriella she reminds.me so much of Princess Grace, gorgeous little girlie !!!
Awww, Charles and Camilla have to bring their two kids and now Albert is bringing his two. Playdate!! Though, I suspect Jacques and Gabriella will outshine/out speak/out work the other two.
These cambridge comparisons are making my morning lol. You all aren’t wrong!
LOL!
Jacques looks just like his mother.
I don’t think this is that cute to be honest. I don’t see the point of exposing children this young to the public, especially with high Covid infection rates in the UK, and theses kids being too you to be vaccinated. Why do they need to be exposed to public life while they’re still in kindergarten? Is it a business trip or a family vacation? It seems like he’s setting himself up to be the doting dad while the absent mother can’t be there. He’ll get primary custody of the kids regardless if the marriage unravels or they have some type of formal separation.
Maybe he doesn’t want to leave his kids with the nanny — they’ve been without their mother for 7 months and he seems to be trying to keep them with him as much as possible in his day-to-day life so they don’t feel abandoned.
Ouch! He already explained that he didn’t want to leave the children alone as the mother is sick and currently absent. He is stepping up to the plate and doing what single parents do; shouldering all the parental duties. The trip is business for him and side trip vacation stuff for the children, with a nanny who is in their family bubble to avoid lots of exposure. He seems to enjoy experiencing the world through their eyes. Never liked this guy much but now have respect for him as an involved dad who has insight into raising his young children.