Princess Charlene Discusses Her Twins and Embracing Aging

Princess Charlene of Monaco wears a black shirt dress with a large diamond necklace and matching drop earrings while her hair is brunette and cropped short

(Image credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

published 12 November 2024

Princess Charlene of Monaco has opened up about everything from aging to her childhood and raising royal twins in a wide-ranging interview with Gala magazine.

Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer who represented South Africa, is raising 9-year-old twins—Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella—with her husband, Albert II, Prince of Monaco.

"Gabriella is very curious," Charlene told the outlet. "She is very intrigued by the world and life in general. She asks lots of questions and demands a lot of attention."

Discussing her son, Princess Charlene said, "As for Jacques, he is curious and observant. [He is] more reserved, he is naturally very calm."

Princess Charlene of Monaco wears a bright red coat with matching stiletto boots, red gloves, a red dress, and a red hat, while she has blonde cropped hair, as she stands with her twins — Princess Charlene with her twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques.

Despite having retired from her sporting success, Charlene has always attempted to remain fit and healthy. "I walk, I cycle, I swim too, but not as much as before," she told Gala. "I don’t practise swimming as intensely as in the past. When I was young, I trained very hard, I challenged myself physically. These days, it’s all about moderation."

Prince Albert's wife also reflected on how she's changed and evolved as she has aged. Now 47, the royal explained, "It can be quite difficult because my nature is to want to beat records, win medals and surpass my limits." She continued, "But, at nearly 47 years old, I can no longer do that… my body won’t let me. My spirit and my heart might, but my body says no!"

Prince Albert of Monaco wears a black suit, white shirt, and red bowtie, and Princess Charlene wears a glittering dress with a V-neck while carrying a bouquet of pink, red, and white flowers — Prince Albert and Princess Charlene.

However, Charlene definitely experienced the negative side of pursuing her elite sporting ability as a child. "I was first and foremost an athlete," she told Gala. "I was training to take part in the Olympic Games. It was my goal. I sometimes felt a little isolated from other teenagers." As a result, she had little time for anything other than honing her swimming craft. "I devoted all my days, weeks, and years to being at the top of my game."

Ultimately, Princess Charlene has grown comfortable with getting older. "I think you need to accept it [aging]," she explained. "Chasing after eternal youth is an illusion. I simply try and stay as young as possible in my body and in my heart."

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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