Making a Splash in Monaco

By brunifia via Wikimedia Commons

Water has always flowed through her veins. Born as the daughter of a swim coach in 1978 deep in the heart of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Charlene Lynette Wittstock could little have imagined how far her passion for swimming would take her. A fifth-generation descendant of German immigrants, she inherited her competitive spirit from her sales manager father Michael and her mother Lynette, a former competitive diver. 

Charlene's passion for swimming strengthened as the family, including two younger brothers, moved to South Africa when she was 11. She quickly found her lane: by age 19 she was the South African champion in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke. A year later, she won three gold medals and a silver in the All-Africa Games. From there, she competed at the World Championships and twice at the Commonwealth Games. In 2000, she became an Olympian, representing South Africa at the Sydney Olympics. She finished 14th and 17th in her two individual backstroke events and earned a fifth-place finish with her team in the 4x100 medley relay.

When she was not in training or in competition, Charlene was still in the pool--usually teaching children how to swim. She believes that learning to swim is a fundamental right, not because it is fun and healthy, but because it is a skill that can literally save their lives. Charlene learned this lesson as a young girl when her five-year-old cousin Richard died in the river near his home. Charlene was devastated.

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Charlene's athletic career took her around the world including to the picturesque Mediterranean Principality of Monaco in 2000. The pretty blonde 22-year-old champion emerged from the pool and was later greeted by the 42-year-old bachelor Prince Albert of Monaco. Known for his "playboy" ways, Albert had never married although he was rumored to have fathered at least two children by different mothers (Jazmin and Alexandre, both of whom he later acknowledged.) Like Charlene, he was also an Olympian. He had represented Monaco in four Winter Games--1988 Calgary, 1992 Albertville, 1994 Lillehammer, and 1998 Nagano--and would compete one more time in 2002 in Salt Lake City.

The two also may have shared a bond over early tragedy; Prince Albert had lost his mother American-born Princess Grace in a fatal car crash when he was 24. Whatever the connection between them, Albert and Charlene kept their relationship private for several years. They were not seen publicly together until the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. By then, Albert's father Prince Rainier had died and he had succeeded as the sovereign Prince Albert II. A few months after Turin, he made an Easter trip to the North Pole.

All of this time, Charlene continued swimming. Although she did not compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics, she was gearing up to make an Olympic return in 2008. She had even regained her South African national championship. However, a shoulder injury sidelined her for 18 months and she failed to qualify in 2008. It was effectively the end of her swimming career.

Charlene was increasingly seen in Monaco or with Albert, but their romance remained unofficial. She took on several charitable roles in Monaco, but no announcements were forthcoming. Media excitement began to build in 2010, especially when Charlene attended the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden to Daniel Westling. Only four days later, the couple finally announced their own engagement. Although not required, Charlene converted to Catholicism. She also took lessons in French and Monagesque. 

They were married just over a year later with a civil ceremony in the throne room of the princely palace on July 1, 2011 and a religious ceremony the next day in the palace's courtyard. They then honeymooned closer to her native land in Mozambique. 

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As is usual, the media immediately began asking when a baby would arrive. It was a particularly critical issue in Monaco because Albert's other children had no right to the throne because their mothers had not been married to the prince. Therefore, his heir at the time was his older sister Princess Caroline.

Charlene, like many newly married women, did not become pregnant right away. Instead, she invested her time in taking on more charitable roles: Special Olympics International, Giving Organizations Trust in South Africa, the Princess Grace Foundation USA, amFAR, Red Cross and more. In late 2012 she launched the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation to help prevent more tragedies like the one that had followed her from her earliest days: childhood drowning.

Nearly three years after their wedding, Albert and Charlene announced her pregnancy. Six months later, they shared that they were expecting twins. On December 10, 2014, their daughter Princess Gabriella arrived followed two minutes later by Hereditary Prince Jacques. Monaco maintains male-preference succession rules so Jacques is first in line to the throne although he was born second. 

For the next many years, Charlene's life followed a routine of charitable events, public ceremonies, international visits, and family photo calls. The media and the public alternatively praised her beauty, style and good works while criticizing her less-than-perfect French, her spending habits, and rumors of marital issues. 

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When she fell deeply ill while in southern Africa in May 2021, initial concerns over her health soon spiralled into ugly speculation about her personal life. She had been back in her part of the world on an official mission to combat rhinoceros poaching when she contracted a severe ENT infection. Unable to fly due to the pressurization of airplanes, she was essentially stuck 8,000 miles (nearly 13,000 kilometers) away from Monaco. 

Her prolonged absence led to rumors that she was refusing to return to her husband. So Prince Albert brought the children to visit her. Of course, they had to go back to work and school, leaving Charlene behind. This did nothing to ease the public chatter. 

Charlene underwent several medical procedures, including a four-hour surgery, and was felled by complications in September. In early November, after nearly six months, she was finally able to return to Monaco, where the family was delighted to welcome her. Within a few days, however, it was clear that her recovery was going to take an extended period of time. All of her official engagements were cancelled and she traveled to Switzerland for a four-month stay in a high-end clinic. Of course, this further absence continued to fuel nasty speculation. 

By the time she again returned to Monaco in March of 2022, she was able to slowly resume her duties. Then, three months later, she was diagnosed with COVID-19, leading to another--although shorter--period of isolation. 

Having weathered physical illness, family separation, and public scrutiny, Princess Charlene seems to have emerged stronger. In recent years, she has increased her activites around water safety and drowning prevention and launched new initiatives and partnerships to use sport to protect marine life and to advocate for gender equality. She also took after as President of the Society for Protection of Animals of Monaco, Honorary President of Pink Ribbon Monaco, and Vice President of the Monegasque Olympic Committee. Prince Albert has served on the International Olympic Committee since 1985. 

In 2024, Charlene and Albert displayed their Olympic spirit by carrying the Olympic torch together ahead of the Summer Games in Paris. It was a suiting moment for a woman who learned from an early age that hard work and tenacity pay off. Despite all she has endured publicly and personally over the years, she now appears more self-confident in her role as Princess of Monaco, as wife and mother, and as a leader on the international stage advocating to make this world a better place.

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More About Charlene
20 Photos that Show How Princess Charlene's Style Has Evolved on Business Insider
Celebrating Prince Albert and Princess Charlene's 10 Year Anniversary on Monaco Tribune
Charlene Wittstock on Aquatic Sports History of South Africa
HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco Celebrates Her 48th Birthday on New My Royals
Inside Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco's Family Life on The Australian Women's Weekly
A New Era for Princess Charlene? on Tatler
Oh Charlene! You Were Doing So Well on Mad for Monaco
Prince Albert Accused of Indulging Wive's Dangerous Spending Habits on Mercury News
Princess Charlene on The Balance Rehab Clinic
Princess Charlene (official bio) on Palais Princier de Monaco
Princess Charlene on UFO No More
Princess Charlene: At Home at the Royal Palace on Tatler
Princess Charlene Lives an Incredibly Lavish Lifestyle on The List
Princess Charlene of Monaco: A Shining Star on Hello Monaco
Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco's Relationship Timeline on Tatler
Princess Charlene's Diamond Aigrette Tiara on The Royal Watcher
Princess Charlene's Diamond Foam Tiara on The Royal Watcher
Princess Charlene's Family Opens Up about Her Lengthy Illness on Vanity Fair
Prince Charlene's Infinite Cascade Necklace on The Royal Watcher
Princess Charlene Reflects on 'Pain that Never Goes Away' on GBN
What to Know about Princess Charlene on People

Margaret Douglas: Too Close to the Throne

Margaret Douglas

via Wikimedia Commons

In 16th Century Britain, the most dangerous place to be born was close to the throne. Though the Tudor dynasty was not very prolific--four surviving children in the first generation, seven in the second, and seven in the third--they greeted their siblings and cousins with great suspicion. King Henry VII's oldest granddaughter spent long stretches imprisoned at the Tower of London or under house arrest by order of her own uncle King Henry VIII and her cousin Queen Elizabeth I.

Born just three months before her favorite cousin, the future Queen Mary I, Margaret Douglas lived her entire life too close to the dangers of the 16th century power politics of both England and Scotland. Her mother was the English Princess Margaret Tudor. The Princess had been married to the 30-year-old King James IV of Scotland at the age of 13. Within 10 years, she had given him five children but only the fourth-born survived. She was pregnant with their sixth child when James IV died at the Battle of Flodden fighting against the English. At 23, Queen Margaret was named Regent for her son, the new King James V. However, many were opposed to her leadership, not just because she was a woman but because she was the sister of England's King Henry VIII. As Margaret sought allies to shore up her position, she was led by her heart to form an alliance with Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, a scion of one of Scotland's most powerful clans.

Just four months after giving birth to King James IV's posthumous son, she secretly married Angus. It was an incredible mistake. By remarrying, she had forfeited her position as Regent under the terms of her original marriage contract. She took the infant king and the newborn prince to Stirling Castle. Henry VIII urged her to bring the boys to England, but Margaret hesitated. She soon surrendered both the boys, never to see her youngest son again, who would die the following year. Now pregnant by Angus, Margaret finally accepted her brother's invitation to travel to England. In October 1515, she gave birth to Margaret Douglas at Harbottle Castle in Northumberland.

In the meantime, the Earl of Angus was not only making friends with Queen Margaret's enemy, he had taken up with Lady Jane Stewart. The Queen returned to make peace in Scotland in 1516, leaving baby Margaret in the care of her godfather, Cardinal Wolsey. Once she discovered her husband's paramour, she began moving toward divorce. The rapid shifting of Scottish politics found the couple battling each other as Margaret moved clumsily from one side to another.

Meanwhile, their daughter was growing up far from either of them in England. With Cardinal Wolsey's death in 1530, 14-year-old Margaret Douglas was moved to her cousin Princess Mary's household. The two were very good friends. Margaret's nearness to the throne meant that she was generally treated as a princess and she benefited from the generosity of her doting uncle King Henry VIII. Tall and crowned with the famous red hair of the Tudor dynasty, Margaret was considered to be a beautiful young woman. She remained with Mary, even when her father the Earl of Angus fled the turmoil of Scotland for 13 years in England. 

By then, young Margaret's parents had divorced and each had married their lovers. As for their maturing daughter, she was kept far from matrimonial prospects. With King Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon, Margaret was moved from the now bastardized Mary's household to become a lady-in-waiting to the new Queen Anne Boleyn. Here, she met and fell in love with Anne's uncle, Thomas Howard, younger brother of the 3rd Duke of Norfolk who was also named Thomas Howard. Unfortunately for Margaret, the king discovered the couple's romantic intentions after Anne Boleyn had fallen from grace. Members of the court and especially members of the Royal Family had no right to marry without royal assent. To wish to marry the uncle of the recently beheaded queen made the king even more furious than he normally would have been.

Margaret and Thomas were sent separately to the Tower of London. Knowing how Henry had just disposed of his once beloved wife, Margaret must have been terrified. She was also heartbroken and fearful for Thomas. Conditions in the Tower were far from ideal, even for the most genteel of prisoners. Within a short time, both were ill. Thomas never recovered. He died after 15 months in prison. The King took pity on Margaret and had her moved to Syon Abbey. She was released from her arrest just two days before Thomas died. 

Margaret remained in Uncle Henry's good graces for a few years...until she fell in love with another Howard. This time, he was Charles Howard, the nephew of her first love and brother of Henry's silly young bride and fifth Queen Catherine Howard. Despite Henry's infatuation with Catherine, he was infuriated by Margaret's latest unapproved romance. Margaret and Charles were spared the Tower and placed under house arrest back at Syon. Later, when Henry discovered Catherine's impure past, Margaret was sent to Kenninghall so the disposed-of Catherine could take her place at Syon until Catherine was beheaded. Archbishop Cranmer personally warned Margaret not to make a third mesalliance and to "wholly apply herself to please the King's Majesty."

Charles was pardoned and Margaret was welcomed back to court. Back in royal favor, a few years later, she even witnessed Uncle Henry's final marriage to her friend Catherine Parr. By this time, Margaret's mother had died in Scotland, never having seen her only daughter again. Young Margaret was estranged from her father on and off, as his later marriage brought sons and he disinherited his daughter in favor of them. Alas, those brothers died young and Margaret would ultimately claim her father's Earldom of Angus, but that was still years in the future.

Nearing her 30th birthday Margaret remained very much a pawn both in Scottish and English politics as well as in the very tumultuous relationship between the two nations. 

By 1544, things were coming to a head over control of the infant Mary Queen of Scots, who was the only surviving child of Margaret's older half-brother King James V, who had died in battle days after Mary was born. One claimant for the Regency was Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, a descendant of King James II of Scotland. Opposed by the Earl of Arran, who had a slightly better dynastic claim, Lennox lost footing when Arran promised Queen Mary as a bride to King Henry VIII's son, Prince Edward. But, Mary's Catholic mother offered her daughter as a bride to the stalwartly Catholic Lennox instead. He was 25 years her senior.

As often happened in Scotland, things went sideways. Parliament refused an alliance with England, but Lennox changed sides and championed King Henry in the ensuing War of the Rough Wooing. Initially successful, Lennox soon lost ground and fled to England, where he met Margaret Douglas. 

Margaret and the ambitious Lennox seemed to have fallen in love. They married and quickly produced an heir, Henry Stuart, known as Lord Darnley. Margaret would be preoccupied by her husband and this first son for the rest of their lives. During the reign of Henry VIII's Protestant son, King Edward VI, the Catholic Lennox family stayed well away from court and out of trouble. Happily raising their son and running a small estate. With the young king's death and Margaret's lifelong friend Mary's rise to the throne, they once again returned to court, where both had prominent roles. In 1555, 11 years after the birth of Lord Darnley, their only other surviving child Charles Stuart was born. The couple's place at the top of a Catholic hierarchy was about to shift again. When Queen Mary died in 1559, she was succeeded by her Protestant half sister Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn. 

At the same time, Protestantism was making strong strides in Scotland while Mary Queen of Scots was growing up and becoming Queen Consort of Catholic France. When Mary's young husband died, the teenaged queen returned to Scotland to discover that she needed to weave a delicate path through the always tempestuous political situation that now also included religious disharmony. Unfortunately, young Queen Mary was not the wisest woman to ever sit on a throne.

By then, Lord Darnley had grown up tall and handsome like his parents. The Lennoxes believed their son would make a brilliant consort for the young, widowed Queen Mary. Through Margaret, Darnley was a potential heir to the English throne. Through Lennox, he was a potential heir to Scotland. An alliance between him and Mary would be a powerful message to other Scottish contenders for the throne. However, since Mary was also a potential heir to the English throne, their marriage would pose a tremendous threat to the unmarried and childless Queen Elizabeth. The fact that both were Catholic only added fuel. When Elizabeth discovered the family was plotting to bring about a marriage, Elizabeth arrested and imprisoned the family. However, they were released the next year.

Two years later, Lennox and Darnley traveled to Scotland to complete their plans. Young Mary found Darnley irresistibly lusty. She married him, much to his parents' delight. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was irate. Lennox was out of her reach in Scotland, but Margaret was not. Elizabeth sent her back to the Tower. 

The marriage soon turned out to be one of the most disastrous in history. A vain and jealous Darnley had conspired in the brutal murder of his wife's friend in front of her while she was heavily pregnant. A few months later, their son James was born. The couple tried to patch up their rocky marriage but Darnley's constant insistence on being named King beside his wife, only served to irritate and distress the high-strung young woman. 

Early in the next year, the couple were living separately at either end of Edinburgh, when a pair of explosions rocked Darnley's house in the middle of the night. As the smoke cleared, his body was found dressed only in his nightshirt. He had been smothered to death with no marks on his body. 

Margaret with King James VI, Matthew Stuart and Charles Stuart

Memorial to Darnley by Lieven de Vogeleer via Wikimedia Commons

Margaret was so devastated when she learned of her beloved son's murder that Queen Elizabeth took pity on her and released her from the Tower. She could take no comfort in her husband's arms, though as he remained in Scotland to look after the interests of their grandson, the Prince. Lennox and others moved against Mary, holding her responsible for Darnley's murder. Queen Mary moved from one disastrous decision to another and eventually abdicated the throne. Over the next few years, the regency for the infant King James VI moved violently from one faction to another until his grandfather Lennox took the role in 1570. By this time, Mary had been imprisoned in Scotland and escaped to seek asylum in England. Believing Mary responsible for her beloved son's death, Margaret denounced her daughter-in-law. Mary also did not find the welcome she expected from Queen Elizabeth either and was soon under house arrest at Carlisle Castle, never to lay eyes on her cousin or her mother-in-law.

Margaret was heartbroken once again when her husband died in Scotland in 1571 following a skirmish with Mary's supporters. Margaret's beloved family now consisted only of her 14-year-old son Charles, who had become 5th Earl of Lennox upon his father's death. It was around this time that Margaret began to see Mary as a victim of conniving men around her and rethought her conviction that she had been responsible for Darnley's death. The two men began a secret correspondence, though Margaret remained cautious, publicly denying any reconciliation between them. 

A few years later, Margaret made arrangements with the famous Bess of Hardwick, one of England's richest women, to marry their children and Charles became the spouse of Elizabeth Cavendish. Queen Elizabeth was furious, as she always was when anyone, especially those with a potential claim to her throne, married without her express permission. Margaret once again found herself imprisoned in the Tower of London. She spent some of her time using her own hair to create a gift of lace that she sent to Mary, still being held under Elizabeth's orders.

When Charles died of tuberculosis in 1576, Elizabeth once again granted Margaret her freedom. By now in her 60s, Margaret took over caring for Charles' only child, Lady Arbella Stuart. The constant ups and downs in royal favor also meant that Margaret fluctuating between wealth and poverty throughout her life. She died a few years later with little to show for her great royal heritage. However, she was granted burial at Westminster Abbey. Through her grandson King James VI & I, she is the ancestress of every British monarch after Queen Elizabeth I.

MORE ABOUT MARGARET

Biography: Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox on Adventures of a Tudor Nerd
The Burial of Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox on Susan Higginbotham
The Death of Margaret Douglas on Being Bess
Five Things You Didn't Know about Margaret Douglas on Pen & Sword Blog
Half Tudor: Margaret Douglas Countess of Lennox on Rebecca Starr Brown
Ladies in Waiting: Lady Margaret Douglas on The Life and Family of Queen Katherine Parr
Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox on Mary Queen of Scots
Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox on Unofficial Royalty
Lady Margaret Douglas is Born on Through the Eyes of Anne Boleyn
Letter from Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox to William Cecil on The Freelance History Writer
Margaret, Countess of Douglas on The Douglas Archives
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox on The Freelance History Writer
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox on The History Jar
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox on Westminster Abbey
Margaret Tudor, Perth and Margaret Douglas on Perth Charterhouse Project
The Remarkable Life of Margaret Douglas on Ancient Origins
This Woman and Her Son: Margaret Douglas and Henry, Lord Darnley on History Scotland
The Will of Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox on Susan Higginbotham