Princess Charlene's premarital overhaul of 'mournful' Monaco palace
Princess Charlene has lived in Monaco since 2006 - the advent of her royal relationship with Prince Albert.
The former Olympic swimmer, now 46, relocated from South Africa to pursue her connection with the Monagasque royal and has since spoken openly about her occasionally bumpy onboarding into the royal household.
A life with a prince in Monaco was a far cry from Charlene Wittstock's upbringing with her not speaking French posing a barrier to her assimilation into Monagasque culture. However, that isn't to say that the athlete didn't put her own stamp on her new royal lifestyle - and the Prince's Palace.
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A 'woman's touch'
Ahead of her royal wedding, the now mother-of-two sat down with Tatler for an at-home interview to discuss life behind the walls of the palace once resided in by Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III. The magazine noted an "air of mournful neglect about the palace, which once symbolised the principality's decadence and theatricality."
"This place needs a woman's touch," Charlene told Tatler. "You can tell that a woman hasn't lived here for a while. I want to make some big changes to the interiors to modernise things and liven it up."
Palace features
The palace is a majestic property built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress. It features the Tour Sainte-Marie - a tower which though medieval in appearance, was rebuilt in 1894 following an earthquake.
The royal residence is also decked out in centuries-old murals and the particularly opulent salon des glaces is gilded in gold with crystal chandeliers.
The Prince's Palace today
The state rooms of the palace, which is n Monaco Rock next to Monaco's Old Town, are open to the public every summer. The courtyard has been previously provided the backdrop for open-air concerts given by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Princess Charlene's retreat
Charlene revealed where she finds a moment of solace away from the demands of royal life.
"When she needs some relaxation, she slips away to Roc Agel, the magnificent property 20 minutes outside Monaco given by Prince Rainier to Grace Kelly," Tatler reported.
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"There, she is in her element, wearing denim cutoffs, gardening, feeding the animals and going on daily hikes. Every year at Roc Agel, Charlene and Albert host an informal garden party where members of U2 rub shoulders with a sprinkling of European aristocrats and a hefty influx of supermodels."
