‘I love children and have always wanted to have children of my own,’...
‘We'll see in the next couple of months or years.’
H.S.H. Madame La Princesse Charlene de Monaco
Although of an esoteric mindset, I will admit I find it tempting at times to reside within the realm of ‘gossip’, for more often than not, ‘gossip’ tends to indicate something of interest, however; it often becomes a matter of delicate shifting, since the truth is often deeply buried under layers of innuendo and frustratingly dead-end information.
In tandem with such a mindset, I had initially decided that it was not worth addressing; the subject of Charlene Wittstock trying to do a ‘runner’ just days before her wedding to Prince Albert, rather than partaking in the extravagant multi-million dollar Monegasque Spectacular~Spectacular.
Throughout the course of the week, the story began to take on a life of its’ own, growing out of bounds and taking center focus on the world stage.
Now, after the religious ceremony culminating in the happy occasion of wedding number two in as many days, I will take an opportunity to share my esoteric viewpoint on this subject, and in so doing speak my piece and lay the matter to rest.
As the world knows, it all started when the well respected; L'Express ran a story claiming that secret ‘sources’, reportedly three separate individuals that they trusted, told them that last week Charlene had apparently found out some deep, dark, terrible secret about Prince Albert that sent her careening over the edge.
At first glance, it might be said that this was merely sensational gossip, purposely aimed to tarnish the Princely House of Grimaldi at this time of very real celebration. However, it is not that cut and dried.
L'Express is a firmly established and highly esteemed French magazine, ranking far above the third market gossip rags which are often the sources of such ridiculous fodder. In light of the bombshell and the fallout wrought by the after effects of their article, the magazine still stands by its story, and the newspaper's editors have refused to name the source for the story; a gesture which is not unusual in such cases as these! Initially, the Prince of Monaco's lawyer, representing the best interests of the House of Grimaldi; had gone into damage control and threatened to sue, but, strangely, the story, in spite of the possible lawsuit, still remains on the newspaper's website.
Even now, after the alliance has been contracted and Monaco Monaco , was that Charlene had journeyed with her mother to Paris
For those of you esoteric who might have been lost; in some deeply detached from reality type of research, the rumor is that Mike Wittstock sent his daughter a one-way ticket to South Africa and she was about to board a plane for home from the Nice airport when she was stopped by French police, taken back to Monaco and calmed down. Apparently, this behavior was all in reaction to the ‘rumors’ circulating about her future husband!
Of course, the Palace immediately denied the story of Charlene’s ‘bolting bride’ status and in turn; demanded to know who the ‘source’ was that provided the information with the intent to defame the Sovereign Prince, mere days before his wedding.
A statement from the palace said:
‘The Prince's Palace firmly denies the allegations.’
‘These rumours, spread a few days before the wedding ceremonies of His Serene Highness Prince Albert and Miss Charlene Wittstock, have only one purpose - to seriously damage the Sovereign's image and by consequence that of Miss Wittstock and to cause serious prejudice to a happy event.’
Naturally, the ‘journalistic integrity’, a mindset that seems beyond extinct in this day and age, of L'Express meant no information was forthcoming. However, it is obvious that one does not have to be a genius to tell that the tall tale told was explosive in nature and stunk to high heaven.
Afterwards, in an attempt to show the world beyond the sunny Mediterranean that all was well and supposedly to calm the fears of the Monegasque, Prince Albert
Where it begins to ‘feel’ as if the entire situation was set into motion for the reasons of pure mean spiritedness is that the ‘facts’ of the story in the first place, probably cannot be confirmed, as their "facts", because almost no facts are given. Although the timeline of events is somewhat fuzzy, apparently it first came out when Charlene was in Greece
The implication is and without actually stating it of course, that it was an illegitimate child! Quelle surprise, yes, another one! Keeping in mind the fact that Prince Albert
Another rumor is her supposed confiscated passport! On what grounds would the French police have for stopping Charlene from getting on a plane in Nice? To my knowledge, The French Republic is not behind the Iron Curtain, it is my understanding that police have to have a reason to stop someone, especially one who is a high profile personality. Although the Prince of Monaco may be effectively an absolute monarch inside his tiny realm; that begins and ends at the border! Thus, he cannot give orders to the police of foreign nations with expected results and anyone who believes that he has; is just ridiculous in those thoughts. In short, in my esoteric opinion, nothing about this story makes any sense at all.
However, and I think many might agreed, but I cannot say I am totally surprised by all of these ‘goings on’ in Monaco
Now that the day of the religious ceremony has come and past, blessed by the incredible beauty of the new Princess of Monaco, my most fervent wish for her is; that in spite of the perceived ‘rocky start’ of her married life, her history as the First Lady of the realm will be one that is fairytale based, yet grounded with the positive side of reality. History shows us that the lives of her predecessors, who like her married into the House of Grimaldi, have failed to achieve the happiness most seek.
Most recently, the late Princess Grace is tragic example. Almost everyone knows the romantic story that embraced post World War II Europe. A famous and beautiful American movie star, a handsome prince who reigned over a glamorous little monarchy on the Mediterranean coast, a well-known vacation spot for the rich and royal, and most importantly, their marriage was junketed as a genuine romance.
Over fifty years on it all sounds wonderful, in some ways, almost too good to be true. Of course, bits of the story were true and I suppose for some of the principal players, some bits were wonderful as well. However and with the passage of time of course, it is understood that there was more to it than what the world perceived.
When Grace Kelly arrived on April 12, 1956 at her new home on the Riviera; onboard the S.S. Constitution to start her life as Princess of Monaco, she found herself marrying into a family in conflict, something she only learned first hand when she arrived for her wedding.
Apparently her future husband had kept her in the dark and it was not until they were on their honeymoon that Prince Rainier filled in the details. According to the Prince; his mother did not get along with his father Prince Pierre, Prince Rainier did not get along with his sister Princess Antoinette and Princess Antoinette didn’t get along with anyone. Additionally, Aristotle Onassis was in a subtle struggle with Rainier over control of Monaco
Early on, Prince Rainier was attacked on behalf of Grace with accusations that the whole match had been nothing but a publicity stunt on his part and there was prejudice against Grace because of her American background and as yet imperfect French. It is rumored that in an effort to alienate the new Princess, Rainier’s family and the Palace staff would often speak French; making snide remarks when Grace was around knowing she could not understand them. In her turn, and in the hope of making the right impression, Princess Grace tried to make herself a member of the circles within which her husband moved and was comfortable, but she was treated rather coldly in the beginning.
When she began redecorating the Princely Palace high above Monte Carlo
One point of contention that existed between the Princely couple was their conflicting views for the future of Monaco
Additionally, as a reigning sovereign building towards a better and more solvent future for his tiny realm, Prince Rainier was extremely busy, the weight of ruling a country on his shoulders, and he had less time to devote to his wife than either of them would have liked. As a result, in the early years, in all likelihood for the first decade of their marriage for that matter, Grace struggled to come to terms with her place in the palace hierarchy and being accepted as a new and refreshing influence in a very stuffy and tradition bound environment.
Princess Grace was often lonely in these early days, however, she took time to study the history of Monaco, the House of Grimaldi and was particularly interested in the previous American Princess of Monaco, Alice Heine and took her as something of an example to follow, at least so far as bringing art and culture to Monaco. While her husband devoted himself to the business of government she would devote herself to adding style, class and refinement to Monegasque life.
Not to be deterred, and still with the other high society ladies giving her the cold shoulder, it was difficult to get started and it is to her credit that she never let it show in public how much it bothered her. The Princess accepted the situation and went ahead as she thought best. If there were those who would criticize her in any event, she would not bother with them. She even did her best to smooth relations amongst the Grimaldi family, keeping the lines of communication open even after the rivalry between Princess Antoinette and Prince Rainier reached its apex in what some have described as an attempted palace coup.
In time, Princess Grace carved out her niche in spite of the ill will of many around her; supporting the opera, the theatre and the ballet while also developing new ways to help the less fortunate; through this dedication, Princess Grace made charity fashionable.
If that was not challenging enough, even after she had settled in, had two children and achieved a level of domestic tranquility, criticism came from an unsuspected source; her own homeland. In 1959, when Prince Rainier suspended the constitution amidst claims from the press in the United States that the Prince was being a tyrant; Princess Grace became deeply hurt and she did not hesitate to defend her husband, pointing out that the Prince was ruling on his own for a short time only to put things in order, make necessary changes and that it would all ultimately lead to a more free and beneficial society in the future. Of course, she was right.
It has also become fairly well known that there were problems for the Princely couple over the desire of Princess Grace to resume her film career, at least to a somewhat limited extent. In this, Prince Rainier is often portrayed as the ‘bad guy’ but he finally gave in to the wishes of his wife; however, the truth be told it was the Monegasque public that was more opposed to the idea than even the Prince himself. This was not out of any malice toward Princess Grace, who had by this time become quite popular, though the ordinary folk had mostly loved her from the start; but simply out of a natural selfishness. They did not want to share their princess with anyone.
In the end, of course, Princess Grace triumphed over them all. Steadily, quietly but firmly; the Princess charted her own course and with her and Rainier supporting each other she asserted her authority as the First Lady of the country. Perhaps people had become too used to consorts who came and went or were rarely seen at all. Whatever the case, it says a lot that Princess Grace was treated rather coldly at the start by the society elites in Monaco and yet went on to become probably the most beloved Princess of Monaco in all the seven centuries of Grimaldi rule.
In retrospect, things were not always easy for her, nor was she spared her share of troubles and heartaches, and there was a time in the early sixties to where it was rumored that she toyed with the ideal of leaving, yet she stayed and succeeded more brilliantly and completely than any and all others who had gone before her; becoming quite literally a legend in her own time.
Now it is the turn of Princess Charlene! Beyond the uncanny physical resemblance, she too; like Princess Grace before, has come into a somewhat closed society and tight knit circle surrounding her new husband, without many friends of her own, with her family residing in a foreign country, and not fluent in French, paralleling her late mother-in-law, she too will be faced with establishing herself.
Hopefully with a changed, less restriced world environment, coupled with a more mature emotional age, she will embark on this task encountering less obstacles and easily surmounting those challenges with which she is faced.
Her Serene Highness’ response to all the rumor nonsense, when she expressed her views as stated below in the Vogue Daily article, denote that although soft spoken, she has no qualms in speaking for herself.
Granted, the final days just prior to her wedding were surely her baptism under fire; hopefully it only gets better from here.
Alas, only time will tell and as I type these final words, the rumors are rife that the Princess is already expecting the next Monegasque heir!
Bon Chance, Madame La Princesse!
Inside The Monaco
Charlene Wittstock Addresses the Rumors
by Natalie Livingstone
Vogue Daily
July 1, 2011
The atmosphere in Charlene Wittstock’s suite at the Hermitage Hotel in Monte Carlo this afternoon just two hours before her Civil Wedding Ceremony to Prince Albert Champagne while trusted stylist Stephan Alban teased her hair into her now-trademark deconstructed chignon and make-up maestro Pablo Ardizzone attended to her face.
“I’m feeling good,” Charlene said. “It’s a beautiful day. The whole country is so excited.”
Hanging on a rail behind her was a powder-blue, lace-trimmed corset, chiffon pleated palazzo pants trimmed with lace and a classic powder blue jacket adorned with tiny silver and pearl buttons. “It’s a collaboration between me and Karl Lagerfeld,” Charlene explained. “We wanted something to match the color of my eyes. It is my creation and I’m proud of it. It’s feminine and keeps with tradition yet has a little twist that reflects my personal style. I thought it was a nice change to go for trousers instead of a skirt, especially since I’m an athlete and have always kept my clothes clean and simple.”
Against all odds Charlene exuded a zen-like composure in the wake of a week of torrid accusations surrounding Albert’s private life. “I was a competitive swimmer for 15 years. Every morning I woke up and dived into a freezing cold pool; this challenge is no more daunting,” she said, describing how she transferred her althletic approach to her preparation for the day. Festivities include a post-marriage dinner for 6,000 at the Palace, followed by a private cocktail reception for friends of the couple at the Hermitage, and finally a concert and light show by Jean-Michel Jarre. “I’ve made sure I get enough rest and I focus on my own space and allow myself to zone out. I’ve been doing a lot of visualization techniques to keep level-headed—as if I'm going into a swimming competition.”
Of the week’s turbulent stories, she said, “It is a shame that those rumors came at such a bad time, but I think they were timed to sabotage such a happy occasion. They are categorical lies. I won’t dignify them with any response other than to say that the photographs of me and Albert in love and getting married will speak louder than any vicious gossip and empty rumors.”
Charlene’s maids of honor, Danish designer Isabell Kristensen and Albert’s cousin Donatella Knecht de Massy, have been integral to the smooth-running of the preparations and were by her side this afternoon. “I let my maids of honor choose whatever outfits they wanted,” said Charlene. “Both ladies have been exceptional friends and I had absolutely no doubt they would do me proud.”
Kristensen wore one of her own creations – a heavily boned peach crepe de chine dress with a peach lace overlay, teamed with a bespoke DeDe Valentine hat, while de Massy was swathed in nude-hued Akris, belted at the waist, with a voluminous skirt and a veiled Akris hat. “I’m excited for my cousin that he has found the woman of his dreams,” she said. “They are truly happy and have merely shrugged off all the negative press this week. In fact, we’ve all been laughing about the rumors—they are ridiculous.”
Charlene herself opted to forgo a hat or veil. ‘Everyone else will so why should I?” she said with a laugh.
Camilla Olsson, Albert’s friend of 20 years, was one of the chosen few to sit with Wittstock while she prepared for her big day. “Charlene is so relaxed,” she remarked. “In fact, I popped round this morning and she said I looked tired and offered me a facial or massage. That’s the kind of girl she is. Instead of thinking about herself she thinks of others. She must have been exhausted herself as she was rehearsing the wedding until 2am, but she insisted I drink her coffee while she ordered another one for herself. She is a very grounded girl,” added Olsson. “Of course, she has been upset by the rumors because she is very sensitive but I expected her to be a nervous wreck. In fact, she is totally calm and has just ignored the stupidity.”
Model Karolina Kurkova, who has become a close personal friend to Charlene, was on hand to usher in the party spirit, playing and singing along to her favorite Coldplay tracks. Wearing a Chanel couture dress, Kurkova dug into a basket of bread rolls dipped in olive oil, defying the notion that supermodels are pathologically fearful of carbs. “Everything in moderation,” she said as she inspected Charlene’s hair and make-up with a practiced eye.
Finally, hair perfect and make-up immaculate, it was time to call the two Chanel seamstresses who had flown in from Paris
Ardizzone put one final coat of ‘Charlene’ lipstick, a shade he created in honor of the day, and she made her final journey to the Palace as a commoner to marry her Prince.
NR
© 2011 The Esoteric Curiosa. All Rights Reserved
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