I agree with you when you say that PA sometimes seems to "mix up" his private and public lives.
Once you are in the limelight, there is no going back, and I guess PA wants to "have his cake and eat it", i.e. he wants lots of publicity for his Foundation, his interest in sport and the Olympics, the environment etc.
The same goes for his personal relationships. But both PA and CW knew what they were letting themselves in for: a life full of photographers, writers and other media people. He was brought up to live such a life. and CW seems to relish being a "personality".
I apologize for the length of this, but it is my comment on a few of these posts.
Renata, I have to strongly disagree with you here. I read once
that Rainier told his son that too much exposure, all over the place, will make his appearances not so very special. Rainier was absolutely correct here and quite media savvy. I suppose he was telling his son this for a reason?
Albert still doesn't seem to comprehend his father's advice, he certainly has not heeded it?
Albert in fact undermines himself here, he shouldn't need to do this?
Most people that are even just a little bit sophisticated don't feel a need to peddle their personal life out in public to garner attention. It's very immature and it also looks very desperate! It also depletes any kind idea that they should be anyone important if they're going to such desperate measures to attract attention to themselves? Anyone who is "someone" in the public eye doesn't feel a need to do this? These people in fact go out of their way in an effort to protect whatever bit of privacy they can retain, especially when it comes to their personal life?
And the less there is, the easier it is to control and the
more desirable it is in the long run! It also conveys that they don't '"need": the attention, because they usually don't! They're also protecting the idea that there is something more
exclusive about them or their position
. Rainier understood this and this is what he was trying to convey to his son.
Albert's attention seeking for his personal life makes him appear juvenile and as a bit of a wannabe which
undermines the attention he would probably like to receive as being someone more important--It undermines his image as a serious person and any of his more serious pursuits: his foundation, the environment, and the more important things in general
that he actually deserves attention for, including just being the Monarch of his country? He shouldn't have to sell himself or his private life? No one should? If they are interesting enough, talented enough, they shouldn't have to chase fame?
He was brought up to live such a life.
and CW seems to relish being a "personality".
I don't think it's a surprise to anyone that CW "relishes" the attention for being a "personality," it is one of her biggest faults. But please tell me what exactly is she a "personality" for???
Is this really what most women want to be publicly known for? Is this what Albert really wants a woman in his life to be "known" for or should I say "as"? They both have been quite
publicly blatant about her arrangement? I really don't think Albert should
want to be known as a "personality" as well as anyone directly connected to him, that is what the "D" listers aim for because they have no other claim to fame, which seems to be their only objective in life? I really don't think this should be something Albert should want or have to strive for??
Considering his position he should be enough as he is. All this clamoring for attention for his personal life makes him look like a man that is very insecure, not a man that is important. I disagree there is no going back once you have been in the limelight, just see how fast Charlene's "personality" fades away--no one is interested in her now as a "personality" in spite of the money and attention that Albert has thrown at this idea? Albert has really deluding himself here.
Charlene was "hired" as an Ambassador for Armani. They own her personality--they advertise here even
. Most royal women pay for their own clothes, because it doesn't look good that someone in their position is indebted to someone else, or for their image to be controlled or owned by someone who pays for it? In most cases ambassadors are celebrities in their own right, by virtue of their own talents, not for who they have relationships with? In fact even some of these women are now being passed over in their original careers, because they're too known for their ancillary pursuits and some people in the business feel it has undermined these woman as any kind of serious actress. Even the fashion designers that pay them are finding it a bit tawdry now.
The thing is Rainier controlled his son's image as much as he could when he was alive, there is a reason Charlene was not on the scene earlier?
There was a reason Albert's date's did not waltz on in with the family, especially the ones that "relished" the attention.
Renata, I always enjoy your posts, but this time I have to respectfully disagree with your assessment that Albert was "
brought up to live such a life."