Picture highlights from Monaco’s National Day
Princess Charlene, dressed all in red, made a big impression, along with her daughter Princess Gabriella in a similar blue outfit. Hereditary Prince Jacques wore a Carabinieri uniform to match his father Prince Albert II - © Eric Mathon, Frédéric Nebinger, Michael Alesi, Axel Bastello / Prince's Palace
The Princely Couple appeared close on the big day and spoke to Monaco-Matin together for the first time.
Prince’s Day was a success. The weather was lovely and the crowd was excited to see the Princely Couple together, and visibly happy, with the Princely Twins. A few days before the celebrations on November 19, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene gave an interview to the local newspaper Monaco-Matin about, among other things, how they are raising their children. While the children were also in the limelight at the celebrations, the Princely Couple wants to “avoid too much exposure too young.” There will be nine candles on their cake come December.
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The Princess, like any mum, is concerned about the safety and future of her children given the particularly tense international climate. “Our children are in a special position. They embody the future of the Principality. And we need to make them understand why we have round-the-clock protection.”
As for their identity, “they are first and foremost Monegasques,” said Princess Charlene, who has South African roots. The Couple said they were delighted to have been able to take the Princely Twins to South Africa, and to have enabled them, at such a young age, to visit many of the world’s treasures. The next destination for Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella is Antarctica.
Charlène Wittstock, then the Sovereign’s fiancée, appeared for the first time at the Prince’s Palace window for National Day in 2010 – © Eric Mathon, Frédéric Nebinger, Michael Alesi, Axel Bastello / Prince’s Palace
After the eagerly awaited moment at the Palace window, the Grimaldi Family and their guests met in the Throne Room, where a lunch was served. Time to relax after intensive preparations. “We get up very early to get the children ready, and into their outfits. We need some very strong coffee. [Laughs] I must say that every year they are very excited to attend the parade,” said Princess Charlene. “The whole week leading up to National Day is a marathon,” says the Sovereign’s wife, referring to the many medal ceremonies, the ambassadors’ dinner at the Yacht Club in Monaco and at the opera at the end of the Day itself on 19 November.