What now for Princess Charlène: Duties, Roles and Responsibilities

[noda]

For goodness sake - if we never saw it before how can we comment? Nobody is here with a cannon but if I want to criticise I will...

It is actually possible to bring up children and do more than she does especially with the help she has.

I do follow her Instagram - I see no evidence of any events other than the ones already publicised.

I'm looking forward to all these engagements in the next few weeks. I hope she is there - it would be nice to see her.

I have seen some fashion events in Monaco - some which have involved Charlene and some of which already occurred as fashion was not non-existent in Monaco before she arrived.

And finally, I know plenty of Monegasques are very happy with Charlene but I also know a fair number are questioning her implication in the life of the Principality.

Agree 100% with you!

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Princess Grace married Prince Rainier in 1956 and in 1958 she had already delivered Caroline and Albert, the heir, and at the same time she learnt french, she was fluent in this language, and she jumped into her new role of Princess Consort. Again in 2 years time.

Furthermore it's not true that until Albert's wedding there's not the First Lady acting in the Principality. Since the end of 1982 as Rainier said, more than once, Caroline stepped into her mother shoes. Thanks God she is still doing a great job for her Pincincipaliy.

Wow Grace did all that? I'm more impressed with her learning the language. I don't recall but how long did it take Princess Mary to learn Danish? And has Charlene made any progress?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

To defend Charlène: when French is not your native language and you try to learn it on advanced age, it will always remain difficult. Add to this: Monaco is not French. It is one of the world's most cosmopolitan places, overcrowded with "import", most of then not francophone at all. In such international surroundings it is not easy to master French.

Grace Kelly came in another era. Even in Anglosaxon countries it was seen as part of a decent upbringing to learn French. As a professional actrice Grace will have had logopedy (speech training) and has learned her speaking abilities, how to pronounce vowels, how to form accents, etc.

So a comparison to Grace is unfair for a girl from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe who had nothing else on her mind than training very hard in South-African swimming pools and never, ever would have expected to be Princesse de Monaco once.

 

[Florestane]

To defend Charlène: when French is not your native language and you try to learn it on advanced age, it will always remain difficult. Add to this: Monaco is not French. It is one of the world's most cosmopolitan places, overcrowded with "import", most of then not francophone at all. In such international surroundings it is not easy to master French.

Grace Kelly came in another era. Even in Anglosaxon countries it was seen as part of a decent upbringing to learn French. As a professional actrice Grace will have had logopedy (speech training) and has learned her speaking abilities, how to pronounce vowels, how to form accents, etc.

So a comparison to Grace is unfair for a girl from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe who had nothing else on her mind than training very hard in South-African swimming pools and never, ever would have expected to be Princesse de Monaco once.

I don't entirely agree. Yes, it's harder when you're older and it isn't the easiest language, especially from a written point of view. Yes, her background didn't lend itself to learning French because she was concentrating on other things. It's also clear from her accent that she doesn't have the best ear (not her fault, evidently). However, that said - and despite the international, multilingual country that Monaco is nowadays - she has lived in a Francophone country for a decade and she could have access to the best tutors and small group teaching. Personally, I think she should be a bit more advanced than she is - at least orally - and I think there may possibly be a bit of a mental block.

As to comparisons with Grace - no, not totally fair but understandable given there are certain similarities in their stories, and they have the same role, albeit in very different circumstances.

But, really, it doesn't matter what any of us think - things will carry on as usual in the way that suits Charlene and Albert. Which is as it should be...

 

[cdm]

A job of a princess is not only parading with a tiara a t a royal party, it brings nothing apart for the readers of royal forums , Charlene prefers to be near poor persons, handicaped persons or to support handicaped people at sports events which are very important for these persons.
In her instagram, we saw that she is working behind the walls of the palace saying the contrary is not fair, in her instagram we learned that there was an agreement with english associations to learn to swim to children in London, she supported a conference of Mr bloomberg and she sent messages to it, she sent a message to the volontaries of the red cross the red cross day, to day, on her page of Facebook, there is a new saying that her foundation will support some events in France to avoid drowning. She is working with her foundation, we learned that she adopted a school in South Africa and she offered a privat garden where mothers of these children are working to get vegetables and the children can eat them at school or at home , she offers them gifts for christmas and she is following the school since 2012, of course, there were no photos during all these years but Monaco channel and interviews of Charlene in SA gave us these news

The interview of Princess Charlene when she was still Charlene Wittstock, she said that she wanted a fashion week in Monaco
Fit For a Princess: Charlene Wittstock - Vogue

IMO attending big events with your husband (and) occasionaly a tiara is more part of a Princesses job than appearing on covers and in glossy magazines.



If I remember well, around this time last year there was the same criticism on these forums and then from the grand prix on she turned her (visible) activities up a notch.
Let's see what happens this year.

 

[Jaya]

I have a different opinion, she gives 2 heirs to the throne and she is a devoted mother, she is doing a very great work whith her foundation , a new branch was launching in USA, she is a very good ambassador for Monaco with this foundation, she is doing a lot of work in Monaco
She founded the association ' snapper for all' association for desavantaged children who have difficult at school, they can visit the museum, do a vidéo with their class and the class winner can spend a week in Monaco, visiting Monaco and they receive the price from princess Charlene
She founded the South Africa exchange, the desavantaged children come to Monaco , they visit Monaco, they see how the monegash children are living in the school of Monaco and they play to the rugby at the sainte Devote tournament. desavantaged children of Monaco went during the summer holidays to south Africa to visit South Africa, this association will grow to other country .
She founded the sainte Devote tournament , international rugby team of children come to play rugby to this tournament , in the same times, handicaped children come to play rugby at this tournament.
She is the patron of the princess charlene home, she looks after these children without parents, she invits them to the palace many times at the palace, she offered gifts at each child when it is his birthday, she visited these children for the christmas fest. Monaco Matin needed a deaf person to translate the news in Monacorama, Charlene paid the study of a deaf girl who was living in the Princess Charlene Home and Charlene presented her to Monaco Matin, now this girl is the deaf translator of Monacoscopie.
She is more and more involved in the red cross of Monaco, she visited the refugees of Vintimiglia with Albert and she offered a gift to the refugees after her visit, it is a nice gesture of Charlene, it is also her role to do this.
During the national fest and christmas fest, she is visiting the nurseries, she is giving gifts to the poor persons at the red Cross center of Monaco, she is visiting the old persons in their home for old persons.
She found with her foundation and Pierre Frolla, the a quatic rescue center where all the children of Monaco are learning the gestures who safe.
She has visited a lot of schools and colleges since her wedding, the last visit is from february.
She is the patron of Monaa and this foundation is helping the hospital of Nice , this section is for autist children , she attended to the meetings for autism that Madame Ki Moon is giving each time in september.
She founded the rallye princess charlene in Monaco
She is visiting every year the handicaped children at the Grand Prix and the new mothers at the maternity for the mother day.
She is always present to the sainte Devote fest and she likes to meet the people of Monaco this day.
She is always present to the vendredi saint procession and apart this year, shewas always present to the fete dieu processsion, last year, she was alone, Albert was not present .
She is member now of the council of the princess Grace foundation USA, she is always present to the Princess Grace foundation gala, she was even alone at this gala , in 2013, last year, she made come the Princess Grace gala awards in monaco and it took place in the palace in Monaco, it was a big success.
She is opening the palace for receptions , they receive all the sport people , the singers , the very important persons during the Grand Prix at the palace, there is also a reception during the festival of the TV, they receive all the actors present at Monaco for this event.
She is always present to the Red Cross Gala even when she was pregnant.
She is now the president of the honor comittee for the big event of the rugby on june 18 and 19th at Monaco
She will be the godmother of the most luxious cruise boat on july 13th 2016.
I will stop because I need

because I need pages about her work in Monaco.
Her work is not so negativ as some people are happy to describe.
She was not present to three events this year, but she was present to other events as the visit to the refugees in Vintimiglia, the visit to the schools and college CharlesIII, sje visite d the handicaped persons and the maternity. she will preside the seven7 rugby event and she will be godmother of a cruise boat next july 13th

I give you the site of her foundation and you will see that she is doing a good work with this foundation she founded , she did not receive this foundation , all made as a lot of princesses receive , she had to work hard and now, there are new branches in USA and in South Africa

Fondation Princesse Charlene de Monaco

A doctor of the OMS in Geneve paid a tribute to Princess charlene for her work with her foundation

World Health Organization - Global report on drowning - Princess Charlene of Monaco foundation

You forgot to say that she walks on water,not swims , walks

 

[smdouglas]

You forgot to say that she walks on water,not swims , walks

Actually she rides on water (Princess Charlene brings Riviera Water Bike Challenge to Monaco | Monaco Life).

 

[noda]

Actually she rides on water (Princess Charlene brings Riviera Water Bike Challenge to Monaco | Monaco Life).

Yes she brought the Water Bike Challenge but it seems she skipped the race. I just saw Prince Albert's pictures together with former F1 drivers, but she is not there. Frankly speaking I can't understand why she is organizing such kind of stuff and then she disappeared. It's a strange situation.

Furthermore she missed the Gala dinner at the Oceaonographic Museum held for the Fashion Monaco week, another staff organized by her.

 

[TRCRoyal]

She was at the race, she just didn't participate. Kinda weird since she;s been training!

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Possibly the Princess had to oversee the organisation of the event.

 

[assia]

Actually Princess Charlène had an injury at her wrist . So she could not participated to the race.

 

[melina premiere]

Charlene fell during her last training this week and could not make the race, Albert took her place at the last minute in the team with whom Charlene had to run.

https://www.profimedia.cz/335059171?ws=2&s=sp.princess charlene~p.EAg

She must be desappointed but the most important is that it was her idea to do this kind of race with water bikes and that she could raise money for her foundation.
Next year, there will be an another race

She was present for the giving prize ceremony.

 

[noda]

Regarding Prince Albert being tireless, I noticed that years ago and commented thus, ITA. His parents, grandparents, and ancestors would be proud of him, he's a great representative of Monaco. He's the epitome of "duty above all else". "

He is extacly the opposite of his wife. She is missing from the public since St. Jean feast. It's almost one month. What a strange behavior from the Princess.
I really don't understand.

 

[melina premiere]

Happily, Charlene is not travelling like his husband, the twins would be always alone
In july, there is no work for her, no nursery to launch nor school or visit of hospital during this times, Princess Grace was not more active and was not on monaco but at Roc Agel .and the other members of the family are in holidays as Caroline and her family who are on the yacht Pacha and they are right
The monegash people are saying that Albert is a good prince but they found that he is travelling too much they would like that he would be more at Monaco and they are saying ' happily Princess Charlene is staying at Monaco'

 

[Lee-Z]

but you yourself said two posts ago that the trip to Wimbledon in a private jet and it's easy to arrive before the match and go home after....can P.Charlene not even leave the twins with their nannies (plural), palace staff or her family (if she doesn't trust the staff to do it) for a couple of hours?

Don't get me wrong, i don't think Charlene should have come to Wimbledon if she doesn't want to (there are more important venues she could choose to attend) and i'm a firm believer that P.Albert and P.Charlene have a mutual understanding in what they do and don't attend, and that that works perfectly fine for them

However i do think it's double standard to call P.Albert making a trip for a few hours the equivalent of "no big deal" and when someone else asks why P.Charlene can't make the same trip it is all of a sudden a big deal to "leave the children"

 

[sophie25]

Charlene started off behaving like the Princess of Monaco as you would expect ie doing all the big events at home, going to royal events abroad and accompanying PA on official visits to other countries. She's now regressed to doing only some big events at home and work for her foundation. In contrast Kate Middleton has been gradually increasing her workload year by year (despite also having tiny children) which is the direction one would expect. I don't accept that she and Albert want her to have this reclusive role. She took on a title that has duties and responsibilities attached so it's not just about what they want to do. Also why did he get a wife if he wanted to gad about on his own (they don't even go to Wimbledon together which would have been nice private time as a couple) or start his wife out on the royal road at the beginning to then take her off it? So many unanswered questions about this strange set up.

 

[noda]

Charlene started off behaving like the Princess of Monaco as you would expect ie doing all the big events at home, going to royal events abroad and accompanying PA on official visits to other countries. She's now regressed to doing only some big events at home and work for her foundation. In contrast Kate Middleton has been gradually increasing her workload year by year (despite also having tiny children) which is the direction one would expect. I don't accept that she and Albert want her to have this reclusive role. She took on a title that has duties and responsibilities attached so it's not just about what they want to do. Also why did he get a wife if he wanted to gad about on his own (they don't even go to Wimbledon together which would have been nice private time as a couple) or start his wife out on the royal road at the beginning to then take her off it? So many unanswered questions about this strange set up.

I agree with you Sophie. Many unanswered question about them. It seems to me all it's very very odd.

 

[smdouglas]

It looks like they aren't performing as you would like them to. How dare they! Years ago, PA said that their married relationship wouldn't be a normal royal/princely one. He's a man of his word.

 

[sophie25]

She also spoke in her engagement interview about how she was now "pretty schooled up" for her new role as she's done some official visits abroad, attended royal weddings etc. Was there a point in him taking her to such events pre-wedding if it was all to stop post wedding? These days Monaco seems to have a Princess in name only.

 

[Florestane]

Personally, I was surprised that Charlene didn't attend the Nice memorial event with Albert.

It's a quieter time of year, I agree, but Albert has still been on several engagements in the last few days that she could have accompanied him on.

Also, Caroline returned for an engagement presiding one of the concerts at the Palace - not particularly onerous certainly, but she was there.

Grace may have taken July off but she pitched up to far more engagements than her daughter-in-law - despite Monaco only being a small place, smaller than it is now, in fact.

Should this be in the Charlene thread?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The absence of Princess Charlène in Nice is indeed a bit strange. The beautiful city of Nice is just 25 km west of Monte-Carlo, just take the zéro emission princely car and take the beautiful route, passing Cap-d'Ail and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat....

;-)

 

[C4A]

This discussion should probably move to another thread...

I can understand the frustration of posters at the absence of P Charlene. Although I am a huge fan of the Princess I too am a little uneasy at her absence from so many events. Especially given that P Albert said in an interview earlier in the year that she wants to and will be more present in Monaco...but when?

It is Summer and there is so much happening in Monaco. Just this past weekend it would indeed have been nice to see her alongside P Albert at the commemoration in Nice. And then there was the street art exhibition - contemporary art is listed as one of her interests.

I think if only she could attend just one event per week with P Albert it would be a great improvement. I am sure they decide together when and where she will be present and they are happy with the status quo, but it will be nice to see her involved more in Monaco.

So we wait in anticipation for the Herculis athletics meet on July 21 and the Red Cross Ball on July 28.

 

[Vojthas]

I think you don't see one thing - as she married Albert she became not only Princess Consort of Monaco, but also member of the Grimaldi family. Did she marry him because she wanted to be a princess or did she marry him because she wanted to have a family with him? He has to go on some occasion, she only may accompany him. And remember she has children. It's not the case of them needing her - that's not the problem as they have nannies since they were born. Maybe she needs them. You compare Charlene to Grace - they are two different beings. One of them managed to bring together both spheres of life, the second one chooses between them. It is not bad. You just want to see her in public, compare her hairstyles, dresses, make ups and so on. If anybody in the Palace, not only Albert, his more routined in the public life of Monaco sisters, but also advisors, secretaries (for sure she has some) would notice that she has to come out more often, they would surely talk with her. We don't know - maybe they did, but she had some arguments against. She does her work - her foundation, national/religious festivities... maybe it's just enough for her, maybe Albert expects something else from her than you do.

 

[C4A]

^^^ previous
Are you referring to my post? Because I certainly did not mention P Grace anywhere.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I'm a little tired of these notions that a woman can't be a mother of small children and work; not only is going to one event a week not even considered work but there are too many women who work part time and full time and they have children. For Charlene having kids is not an excuse.

 

[Florestane]

I think you don't see one thing - as she married Albert she became not only Princess Consort of Monaco, but also member of the Grimaldi family. Did she marry him because she wanted to be a princess or did she marry him because she wanted to have a family with him? He has to go on some occasion, she only may accompany him. And remember she has children. It's not the case of them needing her - that's not the problem as they have nannies since they were born. Maybe she needs them. You compare Charlene to Grace - they are two different beings. One of them managed to bring together both spheres of life, the second one chooses between them. It is not bad. You just want to see her in public, compare her hairstyles, dresses, make ups and so on. If anybody in the Palace, not only Albert, his more routined in the public life of Monaco sisters, but also advisors, secretaries (for sure she has some) would notice that she has to come out more often, they would surely talk with her. We don't know - maybe they did, but she had some arguments against. She does her work - her foundation, national/religious festivities... maybe it's just enough for her, maybe Albert expects something else from her than you do.

I don't just want to see her in public so I can talk about her hair and clothes. I think she should to be more visible than she is - and I find it odd that she isn't because she attended far more events in the past. Like her mother in law used to.

I do compare her to Grace insofar as that was what Albert had as his example of a sovereign princess and also because there are posts claiming she didn't do much because so and so... I don't expect her to be Grace - she's her own person.

It certainly seems to be enough for her, and apparently for Albert. I can understand that perfectly - I just find it bizarre, and certainly not what she said originally she wanted to make of her role. She never said when I have children I'm going to pretty much disappear and just turn up to the odd high day and holiday.

I also understand she wants to spend time with her children but they seem to be offered up as the excuse for her not doing a lot of things.

 

[Curryong]

What will happen in a few years when the twins are at school every day during the week? I can understand devoting oneself to one's family to a certain extent of course, but there is a limit, and when you marry a Head of State, however small that territory is, there are obligations that come with that, IMO. What if Letizia, Maxima, Mary (who has four children) Sonja or Sylvia had acted in the same way?

 

[Rudolph]

Charlene is in a pretty unique position in that Albert has much more power than most constitutional monarchs. I think this gives Charlene a lot of leeway in her role as consort. Albert seems okay with things and his blessing goes a long way in Monaco.

 

[Curryong]

Yes, that's so, and of course we don't know what sort of an arrangement he and Charlene have come to with regard to her duties. Nevertheless, it looks odd when Charlene's work pattern is so sparse in comparison to other consorts and she also doesn't turn up to semi private events like King Harald's 80th birthday party either. I'm sure Monagesques would be happy to see more of Charlene, who is elegant and lovely!

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Charlene is in a pretty unique position in that Albert has much more power than most constitutional monarchs. I think this gives Charlene a lot of leeway in her role as consort. Albert seems okay with things and his blessing goes a long way in Monaco.

"Power" is a big word. Monaco is just a tiny spot..

Monaco has 5000 monégasques (and 32.000 foreign residents). Just drive west to the neighbouring city of Nice: the Mayor of that town is responsible for 10 times more residents than the whole principauté counts. As the principauté is depending in everything on a close cooperation with Nice (water, electricity, transport, public services, etc.) we can say that M. Estrosi (the Mayor) has more "power" knowing that Monte-Carlo is nothing without the cooperation of the intercommunale services...

A horrorful and traumatic terrorist attack took place on Quatorze Juillet 2016, in the town of Nice. The absence of Princess Charlène means that she even did not show up for her very own neighbours. That is a bit strange indeed.