Rumors About Prince Albert And Princess Charlene That The Couple Couldn't Escape

When it comes to royal controversy, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco can't seem to catch a break. For years, the couple has been plagued by a seemingly endless barrage of rumors and questions about the state of their marriage. Albert, the son of Prince Rainier III and film legend Grace Kelly, was already a controversial figure prior to meeting Charlene. In his younger years, Albert was dubbed the "playboy prince" thanks to his complicated dating history. The Prince of Monaco's romantic exploits have produced two love children: Jazmin Grimaldi, who was born in 1992, and Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, who came along in 2003.

After tying the knot in 2011, Albert and Charlene found themselves at the center of a media storm. Tabloids honed in on the fact that Albert is 20 years older than Charlene, and critics speculated that their marriage was a sham. However, despite the naysayers, the royals continue to insist that their relationship is happy and secure. In 2014, the pair welcomed twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella. Speaking to a French media outlet, Charlene declared her unconditional support for Albert. "When my husband has problems, he tells me about it," the princess stated (via The Times). "I often tell him, 'No matter what, I'm a thousand per cent behind you. I'll stand by you whatever you do, in good times or in bad.'" Still, critics have claimed that Charlene and Albert are trying to cover up the truth about their relationship, which may be a lot messier than it seems.

Prior to marrying Prince Albert and gaining her royal title, Princess Charlene was simply known as Charlene Wittstock, a professional swimmer who hailed from South Africa. However, her profile grew massively when she crossed paths with the Monaco royal in 2000. Recounting their first meeting, Charlene told The Times that she felt an instant connection to Albert. "It was incredibly flattering," she gushed, noting that the future spouses spent hours "laughing and talking" with each other. Several years later, the couple debuted their relationship to the world. Albert popped the question in 2010, and the pair said "I do" the following year in a lavish ceremony.

Despite their seemingly perfect love story, critics have expressed plenty of doubts about the couple. Days before their wedding, rumors began circulating that Albert had been accused of having a third love child. Some tabloids claimed that the child was old enough to have been conceived during Albert's relationship with Charlene. A source allegedly backed up the claim, telling the Daily Mail that Charlene suspected Albert of cheating. "That is the priority," the source purportedly said. "Charlene is resigned to the fact that Albert has illegitimate children, but she is desperate to know if one was born during their five year courtship."

A few days before their nuptials, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene became the subject of another salacious piece of gossip. This time, it was reported that Charlene had tried to escape Monaco several times prior to her wedding day. According to the rumors, Charlene had purchased a one-way ticket to South Africa but was caught at the airport before she had the chance to flee. Supposedly, palace officials confiscated Charlene's passport to prevent her from leaving Monaco. Tabloids also claimed that Albert had paid Charlene to marry him and promised that she would be allowed to annul the marriage at a later time. This juicy gossip made international headlines, and Charlene was subsequently dubbed the "Prisoner Princess" by media outlets.

For their part, the royals emphatically denied the claims. In a statement to People, a rep for the palace said, "Please believe me, none of this is true, and we think it comes from utter jealousy. Charlene never left to go to the airport, nothing like that ever happened. She was never upset and never wanted to stop the wedding." Albert's legal team slammed the claims, calling them "seriously defamatory." In 2012, the royal family sued British publication The Sunday Times for their part in propagating the rumors. "None of these allegations are true," Albert's legal team stated in court (via The Guardian). "The article caused the newly-wed couple enormous upset and embarrassment.

Weddings can be an emotional time for anybody — especially when your nuptials are being viewed and scrutinized by the entire world. Unfortunately for Princess Charlene, her wedding day emotions prompted a flood of rumors about the credibility of her marriage. Albert and Charlene walked down the aisle on July 1, 2011. Their wedding spanned several days and reportedly cost around $68 million. Looking back on her big day, Charlene told The Times, "There was a lot going on. It was beautiful; it was sentimental, showing my most intimate moment to the world."

Amid the grandeur of her wedding, some viewers were shocked when Charlene broke down in tears during the ceremony. Charlene's wedding day sobs prompted critics to speculate that she didn't actually want to marry Albert. In one analysis of the royal wedding, The Guardian wrote, "If this was a fairytale romance, then it was the Brothers Grimm version."

In a 2013 interview, Charlene clarified that she was not sad during her nuptials. The princess explained that her tears were simply a reaction to wedding jitters and to the negative press surrounding her relationship with Albert. "Everything was just so overwhelming and there were all the mixed emotions because of the rumors, and obviously all this tension built up and I burst into tears [immediately after the ceremony]," she told The Times. "And then I burst into tears some more because I was thinking, 'Oh no, now the whole world has seen me cry.'"

A year after tying the knot, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene sat down for an interview with "CBS This Morning." Despite looking sophisticated in a gray top and slacks, Charlene showed signs of discomfort. Throughout the interview, the princess fidgeted in her chair and glanced anxiously at Albert. When asked how married life was going, Albert replied, "Well, I think it's wonderful. I can't speak for Charlene, but she will be able to answer you. But we're having a wonderful time." Charlene's answer was a stark contrast to her husband's glowing comments. In response to the question, she laughed uncomfortably. "Great," the princess added. "I recommend it."

Things got even more awkward when the host asked Charlene what it was like being a princess, to which she replied, "Yeah, it's great. It's ... I don't know how to answer that, honestly. 'What's it like being a princess?'" The tension must have been palpable at that moment, because Albert proceeded to flash the "time out" symbol, prompting the host to pause the interview.

Naturally, Charlene's clunky comments and seemingly uncomfortable demeanor didn't bode well for the couple, who were already knee-deep in speculation. Gossip sites immediately weighed in on the interview, with Lainey Gossip calling it "a spectacular disaster." Another gossip site questioned if the royals even liked each other. As far as critics were concerned, Charlene's behavior during the interview added more ammunition to rumors of marital strife between the pair.

In early 2021, Princess Charlene skipped several public appearances, prompting speculation that she had separated from Prince Albert. The hubbub started when Albert made a solo trip to Paris. Soon, it was revealed that Charlene was hunkered down in South Africa, some 5,000 miles away from her husband and children. This time, the couple tried to outpace the rumor mill by offering an explanation for Charlene's absence. In a radio interview, Charlene said she'd only planned to be away for a few days, but she ended up developing a serious sinus infection which left her unable to travel home to Monaco. "I cannot force healing, so I will be grounded in South Africa until the end of October," the royal shared (via The Times). 

However, Charlene did not return to public life as planned — and in November 2021, Albert revealed that Charlene was in a clinic being treated for various health issues, including exhaustion. Naturally, some tabloids ran with the story, claiming that Charlene's hiatus was actually the result of marital troubles. Speaking exclusively to People, Albert shut down the rumors. "I'm probably going to say this several times, but this has nothing to do with our relationship," the prince insisted. "I want to make that very clear. These are not problems within our relationship; not with the relationship between a husband and wife. It's of a different nature." 

In August 2021 — shortly after Princess Charlene's sinus infection fiasco — the royal reunited with her husband Prince Albert and their two children in South Africa. To celebrate the occasion (and perhaps to quash the rumor mill) Charlene documented the reunion on her now-deactivated Instagram. Still, critics remained unconvinced, and some suggested that Charlene looked unhappy while posing with Albert. Speaking with the Daily Mail, body language expert Judi James agreed, stating, "Charlene's eye expression suggests sadness in both of these poses."

The following year, Charlene's facial expressions were under the microscope again when she attended Monaco's Grand Prix with Albert and their children. It was one of Charlene's first appearances since her 2021 hiatus, and she came back swinging in a gorgeous powder blue jumpsuit. The princess also sported a new platinum blond pixie cut. However, despite her glamorous comeback, watchers couldn't help but notice that Charlene's facial expressions seemed a bit off. Some critics noted that the princess looked sad and detached at times during the outing.

Speaking with Express, Judi James weighed in on Charlene's facial expressions at the ceremony. According to her, Charlene looked genuinely happy in the presence of her children, but her face showed signs of despair. "These recent poses show smiles that appear rather forced and which don't always reach the eyes," James explained. "When the mouth smile drops, she can suddenly look sad and isolated."

What's the price of love? According to French outlet Voici, it's somewhere around $12 million dollars — or at least, that's what the tabloid claimed in an eyebrow-raising article about Prince Albert and Princess Charlene. In June 2022, the publication alleged that Charlene had forced Albert to sign a contract outlining the conditions of their marriage. As part of the agreement, Albert was required to pay his wife an allowance of $12 million a year; in exchange, Charlene would stay married to him and continue to make their union look legit. 

Speaking with Page Six in 2022, an insider defended the couple, stating that Voici's claims were totally false. "Of course she has a generous prenup, but Albert doesn't have to pay her to stay," the source shared. Contrary to the rumors, the insider claimed that Albert and Charlene are enjoying a healthy marriage and a rich family life. "After being away for so long during her illness, Charlene is so happy to be back with Albert and the kids," the source stated. "They spend every weekend at their country place. Albert is fully supportive of Charlene and is also helping her with her charities."

In 2024, Claude Palermo, Albert and Charlene's former accountant, came forward with a number of allegations about their finances, including a statement about the latter's annual allowance. Per The Guardian, Palermo claimed Charlene was not only given a $1.5 million allowance every year, but regularly exceeds that amount.

In 2023, French tabloid Royauté published a story claiming that Prince Albert and Princess Charlene were in the midst of a separation. Several media outlets followed suit — including French tabloid Voici, who reported that the royals were no longer living under the same roof. Voici allegedly spoke to an insider who revealed that the royals were simply a "ceremonial couple," with no real love or affection between them. The gossip rag also claimed that Albert was living at the royal residence in Monaco while Charlene had moved into a flat in Switzerland. "Today, they are a couple who make appointments to see each other," the source stated, as translated by Tatler. 

A German tabloid also weighed in on the situation, claiming that the couple are raising their children separately as co-parents. "Albert and Charlene are now good partners, take turns taking care of the children," a source allegedly told the magazine (via the Daily Mail). In March 2023, Charlene was photographed by paparazzi without her wedding ring, adding fuel to the blaze of speculation.

In this instance, the royal family wasted no time clapping back at their tabloid adversaries. "I would like to formally deny the malicious rumors peddled by the French magazine Royauté," a palace spokesperson stated (via the Daily Mail). "Please disregard this article which is totally unfounded." 

In October 2023, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene engaged in a rare PDA moment – but unfortunately, their loved-up antics only sparked more skepticism about their marriage. The hullabaloo started when the royals attended the Rugby World Cup Final together. On this occasion, the monarchs exchanged numerous hugs and kisses while Charlene clung to Albert's arm.

For any other couple, this PDA-fest might have passed as a cute moment between spouses. However, in the case of Charlene and Albert, critics immediately speculated that they were faking it for the cameras. Speaking with the Daily Mail, body language expert Judi James noted that Albert appeared "uncomfortable and slightly startled" throughout the interaction. As for Charlene, James stated that her "extreme PDAs" seemed unnatural and over-the-top. The expert also noted that Charlene's attention seemed to be elsewhere. "Placing a hand on Albert's shoulder she moves in for a kiss," James observed, "although her mouth is still open in a smile and her eyes are glancing away to make this a distracted kiss."

If the couple was indeed putting on a show for the media, it seems like they may have canoodled too close to the sun. When all was said and done, their PDA-filled encounter only intensified the scrutiny around their relationship.

In 2024, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene churned up the rumor mill once again — this time thanks to a comment that Albert made to French magazine Paris Matin. In his interview, Albert opened up about his first meeting with Charlene. Things got super awkward when the prince admitted that his now-wife didn't exactly bowl him over during their first encounter. "I don't know if we fell in love back then," the prince stated (via People). "You know, after that, I didn't see Charlene again for several years." While their initial meeting may not have been love at first sight, Albert clarified that Charlene certainly made an impression on him. "I thought that she was an excellent swimmer and that she was friendly, cheerful, and approachable" he shared. "We had a great time." 

Tabloids immediately latched onto the monarch's comments. Several media outlets threw shade at the interview, presenting Albert's comments as proof that the two lack romantic chemistry. On the other hand, some commentators interpreted Albert's remarks to mean that his love for Charlene had grown and flourished over time. Whatever the case, Albert might have been able to dodge this rumor if he'd chosen his words a bit more carefully.