Princess Charlene and Prince Albert attend former French minister's funeral
Princess Charlene of Monaco stepped out in all-black as she prepared to mourn the death of her friend, Minister of State Didier Guillaume, who passed away suddenly aged 65.
While the royal donned a traditional black outfit for the politician's funeral, she was notably missing her Cartier wedding ring, which wasgiven to her by her husband, Prince Albert.
Charlene wore her blonde hair swept back into an elegant updo and sported a simple black dress that fell to her calves for the sad event. She added black tights to fight the cold and a black Prada bag.
You may also like
Despite the missing jewellery, Charlene attended the funeral service alongside the Prince, who released a touching statement in the wake of his friend's death last week.
"I am deeply touched by the passing of a man of commitment and heart," he shared. "The Principality of Monaco has lost an exemplary servant, whose action and loyalty will remain engraved in our memories."
"I extend my sincere condolences to his family, as well as my warmest thoughts to all those who mourn him today."
Following this, Albert spoke to the news outlet Monaco-Matin about feeling his loss personally.
"I am losing a friend, someone I appreciated very much and on whom I counted," he said. "He had a very human side, very friendly, close to everyone. Over the years, we had forged bonds of trust and mutual esteem."
The funeral took place on Thursday at the Notre-Dame-Immaculee Cathedral in Monaco. It was attended by royals and politicians alike, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Grace Kelly's grandson, Pierre Casiraghi.
The politician had only stepped into the Minister of State role in September 2024; he was hospitalised on January 10 and passed away a week later, leaving behind his wife, Béatrice Frecenon-Guillaume.
Monaco has entered a period of mourning since Didier's death, with all flags on public buildings being flown at half-mast.
The 46-year-old Charlene dutifully mourned his loss alongside her husband, with whom she tied the knot in 2011.
Charlene has been spotted without her wedding and engagement rings in the past, sparking rumours that the pair may have been experiencing a rocky period in their marriage.
These rumours reached such a fever pitch in 2023 when a French magazine alleged they were separating, that a spokesperson from the palace released a statement damning the outlet for spreading misinformation.
"I would like to formally deny the malicious rumours peddled by the French magazine Royauté. Please disregard this article, which is totally unfounded," the spokesperson announced.
The South African athlete met her future husband at a swim meet in 2000, months before she represented South Africa at the Sydney Olympics.
The Princess has suffered from ill health since a visit to her home country in May 2021, where she became sick after complications from a sinus operation. She stayed in South Africa for over ten months, recovering from her debilitating illness before entering a Swiss treatment facility.
Charlene and Albert share twins, Princess Gabriella and Princess Jacques, whom they welcomed in December 2014.
