With frequent trips across Europe,
always-stunning wardrobes, and plenty of dips into beautiful water, Princess Charlene
and her children live quite the luxurious life. On December 10, 2014, Princess Charlene of
Monaco gave birth to two healthy twin babies. The first to arrive was Princess Gabriella, who was
followed just two minutes later by her brother, Prince Jacques. Based on the Monégasque
legal code, which still prioritizes gender in the line of succession, Jacques is
the heir despite being born second. But questions of inheritance were the last thing
on Charlene's mind at the time.The twins were born prematurely, so she was more concerned about
their health. As she later told Paris Match, "At first, I was happy to
hear their first cries. I was, of course, a little overwhelmed by emotion." Ultimately, Charlene and the twins
were monitored in the hospital for a few more days before they made their way home. "I want to share this happiness with
all of the residents of my country, because I know you're united in the same
feelings about the princess and me." Princess Charlene was able to
connect deeply with her twins right from the start. Shortly after
giving birth, she told Paris Match, "I believe that a very strong protective instinct
was born in me at the same time as them. A very strong bond unites us, they are under my
responsibility for the years to come. And I will do my best to guide them, raise them, and pass on
to them the values that my husband and I share." Charlene was happy just to be in the same room
as her baby boy and girl, as she also revealed, "Every second with them is magical. I look forward
to spending more time in their presence. Watching them grow is wonderful. It changes life
forever. [...] They are both very active and very expressive. They are magnificent,
adorable, I am madly in love with them." Like many new mothers, Charlene couldn't help
but worry that something would happen to her babies. She was particularly concerned
about the possibility of drowning, especially considering that she had a
near-death experience at the age of three, when her family dog pushed her into a pool. So she
resolved that her kids would learn to swim from an early age. Shortly after Jacques and Gabriella's
first birthday, Charlene revealed in an interview, "I think the one thing that I would
say was the most important for me, as a mother, was to get them drown-proofed." Charlene also revealed that the twins
had already learned a method that could help them stay safe in case of an
accident, and that they learned to swim before they could walk. As her
husband Prince Albert explained it, "Charlene very quickly became their teacher
for this method of lifesaving in the water." "Yeah, lots of fun." Because Jacques and Gabriella learned to swim
at such a young age, some royal watchers have wondered about their potential future as
competitive athletes. After all, their mother was once an Olympic swimmer who competed
on South Africa's fifth place team in the 4x100 meter medley relay in 2000. And their father
Prince Albert has an Olympic past of his own, as he was a competitive bobsledder. So it only
seems natural that the twins would follow in their parents' footsteps. But their mother is actually a
little hesitant. As she admitted to Monaco Matin, "I don't necessarily want to push them into
intensive practice of a sport. [...] It is a choice which is very demanding, which
requires constant training which, I speak with full knowledge of the facts,
can take precedence over your childhood." However, just because Princess Charlene
doesn't want to push her kids towards the Olympics doesn't mean that she won't support
any athletic hobbies. As she explained, "Gabriella has a passion for hip-hop dance.
Jacques, on the other hand, practices taekwondo. The importance is to give them a good education,
self-confidence, and a happy childhood." Just because Jacques and Gabriella aren't
feeling pressure from their parents doesn't mean that they're able to avoid it entirely. As
young members of the Monégasque royal family, they're already growing up with millions of
eyes watching them. So their mother tries to do her best to help her kids feel normal as much
as they can. As she explained to Monaco Matin, "Above all, my husband and I think it's important
that in school and in their daily activities, they live like any other child
their age. They are only children, but subject to public scrutiny. For
the rest, our family surrounds them to understand their role. This will take time and
adjustment, in a constantly changing world." Ultimately, though, Jacques and Gabriella are
still expected to perform some royal duties, like appearing on the palace balcony or handing out gifts to other children on
Christmas. As their mother noted, "They are still very young, but they are
already aware of their role in Monaco. The most important thing is to communicate, answer their
questions, and help them take their first steps." "Their health and well-being
is the most important, that they're happy, well, nourished, and loved." Jacques and Gabriella may lead an unusual life
in Monaco, but that doesn't mean that they've never been exposed to anything outside the
palace walls. As a former commoner herself, Charlene has been keen on introducing
her kids to what it's like on the other side. And one of the best ways to do
that is to spend time in South Africa, where she herself lived for many years. As she
told South Africa's Eyewitness News in 2017, "I am African, and this is my heritage. It
will always be. It's in my heart and in my veins. [...] I can't wait for them to come here.
I can't wait for them to be introduced to Africa." In 2019, Charlene was finally able to take the twins to Johannesburg. As she
revealed to members of the press, "The twins were crazy about it.
They played in the kids' zone, ate chicken nuggets, and
drank bubblegum milkshakes." At one point, Gabriella even participated in a
traditional South African dance. For Charlene, the experience of watching her children soak
up this unique culture was surely priceless. Although Charlene has a reputation as a
dedicated mother, that doesn't mean she's always been at her kids' sides. In fact,
a medical emergency in May of 2021 forced her to spend months away from Gabriella and
Jacques. She went on a trip to South Africa, where she was planning to do some work for her
foundation.The whole trip reportedly wasn't supposed to last very long, but when
Charlene developed a severe infection, she was forced to remain in the country to
seek medical treatment. She ultimately had to have multiple surgeries, and she wasn't
able to return to Monaco for six months. During this challenging time, Charlene
sadly had to miss milestone moments like Gabriella and Jacques' first day of
school. In a video shared on Instagram, the princess confessed to the world just how
much she missed her kids, while also admitting, "If there is any mother out there
who has been separated from her children for months would
feel the same way I feel." "I cannot wait to get home to my
children, who I miss terribly." At the time, Prince Albert told People Magazine, "She's ready to come home. She's
jokingly said that she's ready to stow away on a ship to come back to Europe." It's widely understood that while Princess
Charlene was battling her infection, other royal women stepped up to help care
for Jacques and Gabriella. That included Prince Albert's sisters, Princesses Caroline
and Stéphanie, who are both known to dote on their niece and nephew. And their influence
appears to have only increased over time. Alas, this dynamic has led to rumors that
Caroline has tried to edge Charlene out of major decisions concerning the children.
In 2022, one palace insider claimed to Woman's Day that the tensions had reached
a boiling point. According to the source, "Recently, Caroline took it upon herself to
call the headmistress of their old school to discuss their socialization... the twins are
currently educated at home at Charlene's request." According to this insider, Caroline's
involvement in the kids' day-to-day activities has left the first lady feeling both
nervous and vulnerable. As the source put it, "Charlene is frantic to see that Caroline
is taking over influence on her twins." The source also claimed that
Caroline's supposed meddling comes from her desire to influence the
future of the monarchy, while stating, "She's determined to mold the twins,
especially Jacques the heir apparent, to her idea of what a little prince should be." If this strategy proves successful, it would give Caroline quite a bit of control over the
principality's next generation of rulers. One of the biggest perks of being a royal is the opportunity to travel across the
world. And indeed, over the years, Princess Charlene has enjoyed several
luxurious family trips with her twins, and it seems abundantly clear that the Grimaldi
crew has plenty of fun on these vacations. In 2023, the family was spotted lounging
together on the beach on the coast of Corsica. They could be seen snorkeling,
paddling, and throwing a frisbee. As Charlene revealed to Monaco Matin, they
spent three full weeks in the region, which included sailing from beach to beach
on a yacht. And she couldn't help but gush over how wonderful it was to spend time
away with her loved ones. As she put it, "It's an island that gives me renewed
energy. [...] To tell the truth, I don't want to go on vacation anywhere else
in the world! The beaches are so beautiful, the mountains welcoming. It's a little
paradise. And there is a historic link between Monaco and Corsica,
which is important to maintain." As for Jacques and Gabriella, they
certainly seemed to enjoy the vacation as well. Shortly after Charlene dropped
them off at their first day of school, they reportedly asked her
when their next trip was. "Are we there yet?" "No."
"Are we there yet?" "No." Traveling isn't the only passion that Charlene
likes to share with her kids. She also hopes to pass down her interest in style to Gabriella, who
in turn seems quite keen to follow in her mother's fashion footsteps. In 2022, Charlene took the
young princess to the Monte Carlo Fashion Awards, where they bonded over their favorite
looks. As Charlene recalled in an interview, "This mother/daughter fashion
outing [...] delighted me, and for the first time, we went on stage
together. She wasn't nervous at all, rather amused, and she could even
have done the show on stage." The two princesses ultimately decided
against wearing similar outfits for the occasion. In fact, Charlene has said
that she encourages her daughter to choose her own clothing based on her
own personal taste. As she explained, "Gabriella has a style all her own, and
I like to encourage that individuality." But since Gabriella is still pretty young
after all, the fashion items that make her feel good aren't necessarily the ones that
we see on the runway. As her mom noted, "Gabriella, like all little girls
her age, loves princess dresses, doing her hair, and even trying my lipsticks." Although certain elements of royal life are
probably wonderful, other aspects can make it quite challenging. For Princess Charlene,
she's struggled to adjust to her public role, especially when it comes to following
certain strict protocols. Because of this, there have been rumors that she doesn't
want Jacques and Gabriella to spend too much of their childhoods at the palace. As
one royal insider told Woman's Day in 2022, "She's realized that not only is
life in Monaco toxic for herself, but she worries about how it might affect
her 7-year-old twins who are growing up with all kinds of pressures, tugged in
all directions, far from the real world." The insider also hinted that Charlene may
want to take Jacques and Gabriella to live abroad for some time. South Africa is
understood to be too far from Monaco to be a viable option. But according
to the source, Switzerland is a close enough acceptable alternative. Either
way, it's believed that Charlene would be happy to take the twins almost anywhere
outside of Monaco. As the insider put it, "She's desperate to take her children
away from this pressurized atmosphere."
