Princess Charlene's Diet: What Does She Eat?

Before she married Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Charlene had an impressive swimming career. "Sport has given me drive and discipline," Charlene informed Vogue in 2011. Although she retired from the sport in 2007, the lessons she learned from athletic training are still guiding her lifestyle and personal diet. Due to her royal duties, Charlene has to attend numerous events, and, despite being royal, she doesn't get a say in what's on the menu. Unlike the U.K.'s Princess Anne, who always carries a kiwi in her purse, Charlene prefers to make her selections from the event's food choices.

Charlene is reportedly a pescatarian,  and she likes to focus on whole foods. "I try to eat a lot of fish and fresh fruit and vegetables," Charlene explained to Women's Health. For beverages, the princess keeps it basic and doesn't add any unnecessary extras. "I drink a lot of water – it's important to stay hydrated," she added. These preferred food choices were also reflected in the menu at Charlene and Albert's royal wedding. Local fish and vegetables like peppers and zucchini were served, with fruit and dessert wine to provide a sweet ending to the meal. 

Although Charlene puts an emphasis on nutritious food, she doesn't hold herself to impossibly stringent standards. Instead, she believes the occasional dessert is part of maintaining a healthy, balanced mindset. 

Since she swam in high-profile competitions like the 2000 Olympics and the swimming World Cup, Princess Charlene was accustomed to extensive physical activity. "As an athlete my training was explosive," Charlene told Women's Health. However, her fitness regimen has evolved in the years since she's become a royal.

Right around the time of her 2011 wedding to Prince Albert of Monaco, Charlene began focusing on stretching instead of weight training. She later found stretching to be invaluable to balance out sedentary periods of royal air travel. While she would previously exercise multiple times a week, by 2018, the princess eschewed a gym-based workout. "Now I focus more on strength, core training and stability." Charlene explained to Women's Health. The princess also focuses on physical activities that bring her joy. Frequently, these are water-based, like swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, and surfing. Outside of the water, she also relies on hiking up mountain trails and running to stay active.

Charlene also appreciates the value of a group activity to make exercise fun and keep people motivated. In 2017, after she became enthusiastic about water biking, Charlene, in conjunction with her charitable foundation, created a relay race called the Riviera Water Bike Challenge.  The princess has also competed in the race and was part of the winning team in 2018. Two years later, the event's format changed and Charlene augmented her physical activities in preparation for a 24-hour water bike race. 

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco like to take an environmentally responsible approach to meals. For their wedding feast, 500 guests dined on food that was 85% locally sourced. Albert and Charlene's royal garden provided the fresh produce, and local fishermen produced the fish selections. "Charlene likes healthy, sustainable cooking, and the prince is very attached to the protection of marine life and local products, so it was the perfect fit," Chef Alain Ducasse, who created the dinner, informed The Hollywood Reporter. Albert's also an organic farmer. The prince maintains Roc Agel, a 125-acre farm that Prince Rainier started in the 1960s. Besides a vegetable garden, the farm has 12 cows and approximately 100 chickens.

Albert and Charlene's methods are similar to another royal couple: King Charles and Queen Camilla. Like Charlene, Camilla is a fan of eating fish and vegetables. Seasonally available produce is also a fundamental part of King Charles' diet, and he and the queen often rely on food grown in their home gardens. In addition, Charles and Camilla also carry out their sustainable choices on a larger scale. While planning the Palace's roster of garden parties for 2023, Charles required the culinary team to work with locally produced, seasonal ingredients. The king also has extensive experience with taking an earth-centered approach to cuisine. His first foray into organic farming occurred back in 1985, and his Duchy Originals brand offers 300+ sustainable organic foods.