Senior royal’s unexpected remark amid frenzied marriage rumours

Off the back of a mystery absence that generated global speculation, Prince Albert made a very candid remark about his wife, Princess Charlene.

IN LONDON

Prince Albert has admitted it wasn’t love at first sight when he met his future wife, the now-Princess Charlene of Monaco, as rumours swirl around the state of their marriage.

The couple first met in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, where professional swimmer Charlene – who was 20 years his junior – was representing her native South Africa, but didn’t begin a relationship until five years later.

They tied the knot in a royal wedding in 2011.

“I don’t know if we fell in love back then,” Albert, 66, admitted to Paris Match recently.

“You know, after that, I didn’t see Charlene again for several years. I thought that she was an excellent swimmer and that she was friendly, cheerful and approachable.”

The reigning prince then candidly admitted: “We had a great time. I don’t know if I should say this, but … I got her into a bit of trouble because I didn’t get her ‘home’ in time.”

Speculation about the royal couple’s relationship first began around the time of their wedding, a Parisian news magazine reporting that Charlene had been stopped at Nice airport after allegedly discovering a “distressing” revelation about her soon-to-be-husband.

“Charlene had her passport confiscated so that the Prince’s entourage could persuade her to stay,” a senior Monaco detective said at the time.

She later dismissed the “hilarious” rumours, asking: “Why would he go through all this effort to have our dearest friends come join us, for us to be reluctant?”

They tied the knot in July 2011. Picture: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

The extravagant three-day wedding itself, reported to have cost around $102 million, generated further gossip after a sombre-looking Charlene was seen in floods of tears during the ceremony.

Addressing the big day afterwards, she explained: “Everything was just so overwhelming and there were all the mixed emotions because of the rumours, and obviously the tension built up and I burst into tears [immediately after the ceremony].

“And then I burst into tears some more because I was thinking, ‘Oh no, now the whole world has seen me cry’.”

However, the rumour mill really exploded in May 2021, when the princess’ planned 10-day charity visit to South Africa was extended to six months.

Her health had reportedly deteriorated, with complications from an ENT (ear, nose and throat) procedure rendering her unable to travel.

Months later, Albert and the couple’s twins travelled to South Africa to visit her, and Charlene eventually returned to Monaco in November.

The couple’s twins held up signs reading “We miss you, mommy [sic] in November 2021 amid her lengthy absence. Picture: Valery Hache/AFP

Her return to the spotlight in her home country was short-lived though, as following signs of emotional and physical exhaustion, doctors advised Charlene seek medical treatment at a facility outside of the principality.

As Charlene remained out of the public eye, sources then alleged to Paris Match that she had “no intention of returning” to Monaco.

And according to Christopher Andersen, author of The King, the couple’s marriage “was always viewed as highly problematic” – right from the start.

“There were even rumours that Charlene was having serious doubts and wanted to call the wedding off,” Andersen claimed to Fox News Digital.

Their relationship has been plagued by rumours. Picture: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Both Albert and Charlene have strongly denied the allegations of issues within their relationship.

“There’s nothing wrong with our marriage, and I find the rumours to be draining and exhausting,” Charlene previously told a South African outlet, per OK! Magazine.

“I simply cannot understand where they come from. It feels to me like certain media or people want to see us split.”

Meanwhile, Albert rubbished claims that his wife had left Monaco “in a huff” during an interview with People magazine.

“She didn’t leave because she was mad at me or anybody else. She was going down to South Africa to reassess her foundation’s work there and to take a little time off with her brother and some friends,” he said.

“It was only supposed to be a week-long, 10-day maximum stay … she had this infection [and] all these medical complications arose. She didn’t go into exile. It was absolutely just a medical problem which had to be treated.”

However, the prince admitted that he “probably should have addressed” the rumours and squashed them earlier.

“But I was concentrating on taking care of the kids,” he said.

“And I thought it would just probably go [away]. You know if you try to answer everything that comes out, then you’re constantly [responding], you’re wasting your time. … Of course, it affects her, of course, it affects me. Misreading events is always detrimental. … We’re an easy target, easily hit, because we’re in the public eye a lot.”