Possible Reasons Why Princess Charlene And Prince Albert Of Monaco Stay Together
It's no secret that Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco might be having marital difficulties. Ever since 2011, when the royal couple tied the knot in a three-day wedding extravaganza, they have faced rumors of discord. As early on as their honeymoon, it was reported that the pair were sleeping in separate bedrooms. And, following an investigation by the Daily Mail and ABC, the palace confirmed that Albert and Charlene spent their so-called "romantic" trip to South Africa holed up in completely different hotels.
Interestingly, as time has gone on, the prince and princess of Monaco have not seemed to grow any closer. As the crowned prince, Albert continues to reside in the luxurious Prince's Palace, which boasts servants and panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea. Charlene, meanwhile, is said to live separately from her husband, opting to stay in a humble two-bedroom apartment, rather than with Albert. As one Monegasque resident told the Daily Mail, "We often saw her outside the Palace and she would usually be alone or with a bodyguard, but she was never with Albert — it was obvious she chose to spend most of her time in the apartment rather than the palace."
If it is true that Charlene and Albert are living separate lives, some royal fans may wonder why the couple does not just get a divorce. Unfortunately, however, factors like royal tradition, the family's image, and their children could possibly be keeping the pair together.
It is rumored that Charlene already tried to escape from Monaco
One of the possible reasons that Princess Charlene has stayed with Prince Albert for so long could be that she cannot leave Monaco. In fact, before Charlene and Albert even walked down the aisle, there were rumors that the Zimbabwe-born blonde had tried to run away from her wedding. As reported by the French outlet, Le Journal du Dimanche, Charlene attempted to escape from Monaco three times before the event.
Apparently, on the first occasion, the princess-to-be headed to Paris to try on her Armani wedding gown. It was said that Charlene took advantage of this moment to seek refuge at the South African embassy in Paris, where she may have tried to find a way back to her home country. Later, it was reported that Charlene tried to escape from Monaco during the principality's world-famous Formula 1 Grand Prix. Both times, she was reportedly stopped.
Some rumors alleged that the whole debacle finally came to a resolution when the local policemen confiscated Charlene's passport. Le Journal du Dimanche claimed that this event would have occurred shortly after the unhappy bride tried to leave the principality via helicopter. As one Monegasque parliamentary adviser told the outlet, the problem could have been infidelity: "Rumors have been swirling for three weeks. We're talking about a hidden child, but the whole issue would be whether he's over five, because Charlene and Albert have officially been together for five years."
Monegasque royals aren't technically supposed to divorce
Another factor keeping Princess Charlene and Prince Albert together could pertain to the Monegasque royal family's strong ties to the Catholic Church. Historically speaking, Monaco's royal family came from Italy — a region where Catholicism has long been the most prominent religion. As such, the principality and its rulers try their best to embody Catholic ideals. In practice, Royal Central explains, this means that Monaco's princes and princesses have to be Catholics in order to enter into the line of succession. Thus, Albert is a practicing Catholic, and Charlene converted to the religion prior to marrying him.
In the end, though, the couple's Catholic faith might impede them from getting a divorce. After all, the Vatican does not traditionally believe in the ending of marriages. And, previous Monegasque royals have suffered consequences after filing for divorce. As royal expert, Jeffrey Robinson, explained in the biography, "Grace of Monaco: The True Story," this was especially true for Albert's older sister, Princess Caroline. When she first realized that she was unhappy in her marriage to playboy, Philippe Junot, Caroline said, "I didn't dare divorce or even mention divorce because Catholics don't divorce. You're supposed to just make the best of it."
Ultimately, though, Caroline ended her marriage with Junot in 1980 — just two years after first tying the knot. But, as a consequence for her actions, the young princess was forbidden from taking communion at church on Sundays.
Reports allege that Charlene receives money to remain with Albert
Beyond the couple's religious obligations, there is another alleged reason why Princess Charlene could be unable to ask Prince Albert for a divorce. It has been said that the princess receives a generous monetary allowance in exchange for appearing in public on Albert's arm. Rumors of this sort of an arrangement have been swirling around Le Rocher since before the couple even got married. In 2011, Le Journal du Dimanche claimed that Albert offered Charlene a monetary deal to prevent her from fleeing the principality before the ceremony.
Compellingly, as the years have gone on, rumors of a financial arrangement have not seemed to slow down. If anything, they have grown ever the more intense. In 2022, the French outlet, Voici, claimed that Charlene and Albert had signed a secret contract, which outlined the terms of the couple's marriage. Apparently, it was decided that the princess would receive €12 million per year in exchange for performing her royal duties.
While it is impossible to confirm whether or not this rumor is true, one royal insider didn't find it so outlandish. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the anonymous source said, "Of course the princess enjoys huge perks, but ready cash is not guaranteed. She's been through a very difficult time, so it would make sense for Charlene to try and secure her own guaranteed income."
Royal divorce could mean that Charlene would lose the children
Although royal life has been incredibly challenging for Princess Charlene, there has been a silver lining among all of her struggles. On December 10, 2014, Charlene gave birth to two healthy babies, who she named Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella. It is said that the princess immediately fell in love with her babies and became a dedicated caregiver. As body language expert, Judi James, told FEMAIL, Charlene and Gabriella exude "natural affection and rapport" when they hug each other. Jacques is also understood to get a lot of love from his mom, with Prince Albert telling People that Charlene is "very eager to be with her children at all times" (via Daily Mail).
Given Charlene's deep love for her twins, it is possible that she would be afraid to lose them in the case of a divorce. Sadly, from what we can tell, these fears would be valid. As explained in the book, "Once Upon A Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier," by the journalist, J. Randy Taraborrelli, Monegasque royal children are expected to remain in the royal household if their parents separate. This was certainly apparent a generation ago when Grace Kelly realized that she and Prince Rainier were ill-matched. Taraborrelli wrote, "Grace couldn't very well change her mind about her marriage ... Divorce would mean losing her children. Such was the law of the land, as it had been for centuries."
Charlene was already separated from her children after leaving the principality
Unfortunately, Princess Charlene has already had a taste of what life would be like without Princess Gabriella and Princess Jacques. In 2021, amid somewhat mysterious circumstances, Charlene was said to have fallen ill in South Africa. Stricken with what Town & Country dubbed "the worst sinus infection in the history of mankind," the princess was grounded in her home country for almost six months. During this time, she missed her tenth wedding anniversary with Prince Albert, among several other high profile events. Of course, in reaction to the princess' absence, the European tabloids spun rumors of marital strife — which Albert and Charlene strongly denied.
Throughout this debacle, though, Charlene got a feel for what would happen if she left Monaco — and, presumably, her husband. Sadly, it seems that for Charlene, a life without Albert would also be a life away from her kids. Indeed, when the princess was in South Africa, she went months at a time without seeing Gabriella or Jacques.
Even though Charlene was grounded in South Africa in May, the twins did not visit her until August. Then, following that sole trip, Charlene did not see her kids again until she returned to Monaco. Naturally, these long periods of separation proved to be quite hard for the mother of two. As she told the South African outlet, News24, "It's been a trying time for me. I miss my husband and children dearly."
The couple might stay together for the good of their children
In some ways, royals are not so different from anyone else. Thus, it is possible that Princess Charlene and Prince Albert have decided to do what countless other couples have done before them — stay together for the sake of their children. Fascinatingly, the French outlet, Voici, has already claimed that this was the case, stating, "If [Albert and Charlene] remain close but no longer form a classic couple, they remain united for the good of their two children, the twins, Jacques and Gabriella."
Interestingly, Albert's own father, Prince Rainier, firmly believed that divorce had a catastrophic effect on children. The son of divorced parents himself, Rainier experienced firsthand just how confusing this process can be for a young child. As explained in the book, "Grace of Monaco: Her True Story," Rainier was outspoken about these opinions, sharing, "Children of divorced parents are always getting shuffled around and are never quite certain where they belong. There are times when you doubt your parents' love."
Because of this family history, it is possible that Albert is resistant to the idea of separating from Charlene for fear of harming his own kids. What's more, as alleged in Voici, the prince and princess see value in creating memories alongside their children. The outlet even hinted that the couple take their children on vacation together to present a united family front. Of course, though, these rumors are difficult to ascertain.
The royals want to show a certain image to the public
European royal families can be very flashy. Thanks to their chic clothes, luxury cars, and picture-perfect poses, these traditional families can give off the impression that they are leading perfect lives. In that sense, it is also possible that Prince Albert and Princess Charlene would stay together to maintain their image. After all, divorce would not reflect well on their princely family. And, from what some sources allege, Albert and Charlene care quite a bit about projecting the proper image to the world.
Indeed, in an interview with the Daily Mail, body language expert, Judi James, hinted that the couple has staged their photographs in the past. According to James', Albert and Charlene sometimes try to seem like they are more in love than they actually are. Commenting on a photo of the pair embracing, James commented, "The couple could barely be closer, posing torso to torso and face to face, with Charlene's arm around Albert's neck in a clinging and rather possessive-looking hug that could almost be described as an overkill gesture."
The nonverbal communication specialist went on to criticize the inauthentic nature of the shot, stating, "Their eyes are fixed on what looks like another camera, making this a posed shot rather than anything more genuinely intimate." In the end, though, James conceded, "But the message of affection and physical closeness is there all the same."
Leaving Albert could be bad for Charlene's social life
Whenever a couple gets a divorce, there are social ramifications for the split. This could be especially true for Princess Charlene — for whom a divorce would almost certainly mean risking her place in Monegasque society. In fact, at least one of Albert's ex-girlfriends is believed to have been cut out of elite circles following her break-up with the prince. Nicole Coste, who dated the prince for six years, once told the Daily Mail that she was excluded from society events after the split.
Coste told the outlet, "After [Albert and Charlene's] wedding I suffered because some socialites stopped inviting me to events if they thought the prince and princess would be there. They thought it would cause embarrassment. There is so much vicious gossip in Monaco." And, even when Coste was included in these events, she was not particularly well received. On one occasion, she claimed, "Once I was invited to a yacht party during the Grand Prix and some guests questioned why I was there. The guests said, 'Prince Albert and Princess Charlene might sail into port and come on board for a drink. It would be awkward if she is here.'"
Unfortunately, this story points towards the type of social exclusion that Charlene herself could potentially face if she ever were to separate from Albert. Since the princess is not Monegasque by birth, it is likely that she would be the one pushed out of society.
There could be issues of inheritance
At the end of the day, royals marry to provide the kingdom with an heir — and preferably a spare. This was especially true for Prince Albert, who fathered two royal love children before getting serious with Princess Charlene. Indeed, the prince had a daughter, Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, in 1992. And, almost a decade later, he welcomed a son, Alexandre Grimaldi. Although Jazmin and Alexandre are both genetically Albert's descendants, neither of them is poised to take the throne. According to Monegasque laws, children born out of wedlock cannot enter the line of succession.
Because of this rule, Albert's youngest son with Charlene, Prince Jacques, has been named his heir. That being said, a potential divorce between the royal couple could put that decision into question. The reason for this is that Alexandre and his mother, Nicole Coste, have already contested the idea that the boy was "illegitimate" — emphasizing the fact that Alexandre was the product of a six-year-long relationship.
What's more, Monaco has a history of allowing illegitimate children to take the throne. In fact, Albert himself is a direct descendent of the Hereditary Princess Charlotte, who was the product of a scandalous relationship between Prince Louis and a cabaret singer named Marie Juliette. Ultimately, this means that if Albert and Charlene got divorced, they might not project the amount of stability necessary to guarantee that Jacques will be the next crown prince of Monaco.