Prince Albert of Monaco reveals he was ‘furious’ about interview given by mother of his love child

Prince Albert of Monaco has revealed he was ‘furious’ about the mother of his love child giving a rare interview to press about his parenting. 

Nicole Coste, 49, an Air France air hostess turned fashion designer, gave birth to Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste in August 2003, two years before Albert, then heir to the Monegasque throne, started dating Princess Charlene. 

Nicole and Albert had dated for five years and the Togo-born beauty had made public appearances with her royal beau and met his father, Rainier III. 

But Alexandre’s existence was only made public in May 2005 when Nicole gave an explosive tell-all interview to French magazine Paris Match, claiming her then two-year-old son was Albert’s.

Two months later, shortly before he was enthroned, Albert confirmed he had fathered Alexandre. The following year he also admitted he had a daughter Jazmin Grimaldi, now 29, born to American Tamara Rotolo in 1992. He shares two legitimate children, twins Jacques and Gabriella, six, with his wife Charlene.  

In the almost two decades since the 2005 interview, Nicole has raised Alexandre and his older half-brothers in Geneva, London and New York, and chosen to stay largely out of the spotlight. 

However she is now firmly back in the public eye after she and Alexandre attended Monaco’s glittering Rose Ball alongside Albert and other members of the royal family, and marked the teenager’s 18th birthday with a lavish bash thrown by his royal father. 

She gave a rare interview in September in which she spoke about the royal’s parenting and involvement in their teenage son’s life, before hinting at tension with Princess Charlene.

However Prince Albert has been revealed how enraged he was by the comments in an interview with Point du Vue, saying: ‘She had just informed me that she was going to release something, I thought it would be just a birthday photo. It was inappropriate, I was furious to find that out.’

Prince Albert of Monaco has revealed he was ‘furious’ about the mother of his love child Nicole Coste, 49 giving a rare interview to press about his parenting 

Speaking Paris Match, Nicole explained Albert has been a constant presence in his son’s life, despite reports to the contrary, and had been involved in everything from his education to his birthday parties. 

‘Albert made a commitment from the start to be present, and to gradually bring his son into his family,’ she said, in an interview translated from French. 

‘Very quickly, I was reassured when Princess Stephanie became Alexander’s godmother. Albert has honored his promise: things are building well and running their course, which I am delighted with.’

She continued: ‘Contrary to what some have written, Albert has always assumed his role as a father and no financial agreement has ever been made between us. Our relationship is built on trust.’

It comes as Princess Charlene, who was last seen in Monaco in January, remains in South Africa while she recovers from a serious sinus infection. She is currently in hospital after being admitted on Wednesday night after collapsing at home. Albert flew out to South Africa last month to see his wife (pictured), marking the first time they had been together since June

It comes as Princess Charlene, who was last seen in Monaco in January, remains in South Africa while she recovers from a serious sinus infection. She is currently in hospital after being admitted on Wednesday night after collapsing at home. Albert flew out to South Africa last month to see his wife (pictured), marking the first time they had been together since June 

She added: ‘Alexandre inherited my politeness, my great kindness. Albert too is tender, sensitive, warm. Alexandre looks like us a lot. They get along very well and are very close friends. They like to play sports together and sometimes talk about politics.’ 

Alexandre, who has recently been signed as a model, starts university this autumn. 

Nicole did not rule out the possibility of her son playing a role in the ‘future of Monaco’, saying it was up to his father to decide.

The mother-of-three hinted at a tension with Charlene, claiming the royal had made her son feel unwelcome during the early days of her relationship with Albert.

Alexandre's existence was only made public in May 2005 when Nicole gave an explosive tell-all interview to French magazine Paris Match, claiming her then two-year-old son was Albert's. Pictured, the 18-year-old with his half-sister, Jazmin Grimaldi, who was born in 1992

Alexandre’s existence was only made public in May 2005 when Nicole gave an explosive tell-all interview to French magazine Paris Match, claiming her then two-year-old son was Albert’s. Pictured, the 18-year-old with his half-sister, Jazmin Grimaldi, who was born in 1992

Prince Albert of Monaco is facing growing calls to reveal whether his marriage to Princess Charlene is on the rocks after he attended a ball alongside his former mistress and their love child during his wife's extended stay in South Africa (pictured, Prince Albert at the Red Cross Ball in July 2021)

(pictured, Nicole Coste at the event in July 2021

Prince Albert of Monaco is facing growing calls to reveal whether his marriage to Princess Charlene is on the rocks after he attended a ball alongside Nicole Coste and their love child during his wife’s extended stay in South Africa (pictured, left Prince Albert at the Red Cross Ball in July 2021, and right, Nicole Coste at the event)  

Images have now emerged online showing Albert's former mistress Nicole and their love child Alexandre (pictured) attending the ball alongside Prince Albert

Images have now emerged online showing Albert and Nicole’s love child Alexandre (right) attending the ball alongside Prince Albert 

In photographs shared online, Nicole (pictured) can be seen wearing an elegant purple gown to the event with dangling diamond earrings, while the son she shares with Prince Albert opted for a blue suit

In photographs shared online, Nicole can be seen wearing an elegant purple gown to the event with dangling diamond earrings, while the son she shares with Prince Albert opted for a blue suit (pictured)

In photographs shared online, Nicole can be seen wearing an elegant purple gown to the event with dangling diamond earrings, while the son she shares with Prince Albert (right) opted for a blue suit

Princess Charlene’s trials and tribulations in the Monaco royal family

1987 – Bea Fiedler, a German topless model, claims her son Daniel was the prince’s son. 

1992 – An American national files a paternity lawsuit against the Prince, claiming that he was the father of her daughter, Jazmin Grace.

2000 – Princess Charlene meets Prince Albert at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo

2005 – In May, a former flight attendant claims that her youngest son, whom she named Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, was Prince Albert’s child. She states that his parentage had been proven by DNA tests requested by the Monegasque government. 

On 6 July, a few days before he was enthroned on 12 July, the Prince officially confirms via his lawyer Lacoste that Alexandre was his biological son.

2006 – After a DNA test confirmed the child’s parentage, Albert admitted, via statement from his lawyer, that he is Jazmin Grace’s father.

2010 – Princess Charlene and Prince Albert announce their engagement 

2011 – Princess Charlene was said to have bolted two days before the royal wedding after hearing Prince Albert had a third love child during their relationship. It was alleged that Charlene tried to flee home to South Africa three times before her ‘arranged marriage’, at one point taking refuge inside her country’s embassy in Paris. 

Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride that she provide him with a legitimate heir. After that she would be free to leave of her own free will. 

During the wedding, Charlene was in floods of tears, while her husband looked on impassively. Later in the year, Princess Charlene confessed she felt ‘very lonely’ in Monaco

2012 – Princess Charlene was reported to be ‘depressed’ at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir.

2014 – Pregnancy was announced in May. In December Charlene gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques. 

2017 – Princess Charlene visits Africa, tells media: ‘I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. It’s in my heart and in my veins.’

2019 – In a rare interview, Princess Charlene confessed it is ‘sometimes hard to smile’ and said the year had been ‘very painful’In another interview, she said she found motherhood ‘exhausting’

2020 – Charlene debuts a shocking half-shaved hairstyle. It is announced Prince Albert of Monaco will appear in court in the new year to fight explosive claims he fathered a third love child with a secret girlfriend before marrying his now wife Princess Charlene. 

2021 – January 27 – Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. It is the last time she has been seen in Monaco this year.  

‘As for Charlene, this is a subject that I cannot avoid because we are often put in parallel. I don’t like being compared. I never advertised myself as an enemy. I am a gentle woman,’ she said.

‘Given our respective ties to the prince, we should have made sure to support each other cordially. In our situation, diplomacy had to prevail. But during the engagement period, I experienced things that alerted and shocked me. 

‘For example, she changed my son’s room, taking advantage of his father’s absence to move him to the employee wing. As a mother, I cannot find words to describe these actions.’

However she insisted Alexandre has a good relationship with his younger half-brother Jacques, who is heir to the throne, and half-sister Gabriella, saying he ‘happily plays with them when he sees them’.  

Nicole met Albert in the late 1990s, shortly before he first crossed paths with Charlene at the 2000 Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo.    

Nicole, whose father was a merchant in Togo, West Africa, admitted she was excited and flattered by the attention.

Indeed, Nicole had already demonstrated her mettle when she left Africa at just 15. One of five children, she was determined to make a better life for herself and so travelled to Paris to study. 

Their liaison became the best-kept secret among Monaco society. 

Although they both attended red carpet events and mixed with socialites and celebrities, the majority of Albert’s subjects knew nothing of the relationship.

However their initial passion waned and the relationship petered out. But in its final days, Nicole discovered she was pregnant. 

Nicole gave birth to Alexandre in August 2003 and in December that year Alexandre was officially recognised by Albert as his son, Nicole told Paris Match. 

She kept a low profile for almost two years before going to the press with her story in May 2005, a month after the death of Albert’s father, Rainier III. 

Speaking in September, Nicole says she spoke out because there had been an issue with obtaining the documentation proving Albert had recognised Alexandre as his son, which she wanted to rectify. 

On 6 July 2005, less than a week before he was enthroned on 12 July, the Prince officially confirmed via his lawyer that Alexandre was his. The following year he confirmed he was also father to a daughter, Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, who was born out of wedlock in 1992. 

Albert is currently facing a paternity suit over a reported third love child born in the early years of his relationship with Princess Charlene. 

The 34-year-old claimant – who cannot be named for legal reasons – says she had a passionate affair with Albert, leading to the birth of their daughter – whose name is also classified – on July 4, 2005.  

Albert received a handwritten letter from the child, who is now 15, in September last year reading: ‘I don’t understand why I grew up without a father, and now that I have found you, you don’t want to see me.’

Legal papers were also filed, as lawyers for the claimant called on Albert to undergo a DNA test – just as he did before finally being identified as Jazmin and Alexandre’s father.

Nicole has dismissed the paternity claims, saying Albert has just the four children and that the woman is ‘making false arguments’ designed to ’cause harm’. 

News of the paternity suit broke shortly before Princess Charlene left Monaco for her native South Africa. 

Earlier this month Prince Albert insisted that his wife (pictured with their children) is likely to return to Monaco by the end of the month

Earlier this month Prince Albert insisted that his wife (pictured with their children) is likely to return to Monaco by the end of the month

How Charlene and Albert made solo outings in South Africa and Monaco during nine months apart 

January 27 – Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco.  

March 18 – Charlene is pictured at the  memorial for the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini at the KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace in Nongoma, South Africa 

April 2 – Charlene posts an Instagram picture of herself, Albert and their twins Jacques and Gabriella for Easter.

It is unknown where the image was taken.

May 8 – Albert, Jacques and Gabriella attend a Grand Prix event in Monaco without Charlene

May 10 – Albert attends Monaco Gala Awards in Monaco without Charlene

May 18 – Charlene shares her first picture from her conservation trip in South Africa  

June 1 – Prince Albert II, Jacques and Gabriella attend event at Oceanic Museum in Monaco 

June 3 – New photos emerge of Charlene on her conservation trip 

June 5- Charlene puts on a united front as she shares a photo with her family to mark her niece’s fifth birthday with her brother’s family and Albert and the twins in South Africa

June 7 – Albert and the twins attend the World Rugby Sevens without Charlene 

June 17 – Prince Albert attends Red Cross Summer concert in Monte Carlo with his sister Princess Caroline of Hanover 

June 18 – Prince Albert appears alone Monte Carlo TV Festival 

June 24  – Charlene’s foundation releases a statement saying the royal is unable to travel and is undergoing procedures for an ear, nose and throat infection   

July 2 – Charlene and Albert mark their 10th anniversary separately. ‘This year will be the first time that I’m not with my husband on our anniversary in July, which is difficult, and it saddens me,’ Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene said in a statement.

July 3 – Albert appears with glamorous niece Charlotte Casiraghi  at the 15th international Monte-Carlo Jumping event, which is part of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Monaco,

July 27 – Prince Albert  attends Olympics alone in Tokyo

August 13 – Charlene undergoes a four-hour operation. The reason is not announced 

August 25 – Charlene shares photos of Prince Albert, Gabriella and Jacques visiting her in South Africa 

August 31 – Speculation mounts in the media about couple’s relationship

September 1 – Charlene is admitted under an alias to the Netcare Alberlito Hospital after suddenly ‘collapsing’

September 2 – She is discharged, with a statement from the Palais Princier reading: ‘Her Highness is closely monitored by Her medical team who said that Her condition was not worrying’

September 23 – Prince Albert attends the 2021 Monte Carlo Gala for Planetary Health

September 29 – Prince Albert is joined on the red carpet by actress Sharon Stone for a first look at the eagerly anticipated James Bond release 

September 30 – Charlene releases a stylish video promoting her anti-poaching campaign from her South African bolthole 

October 3 – Princess Charlene shares a photograph of herself smiling in front of a bible in her first snap since being discharged from hospital following her health scare

October 5 – Prince Albert attends  Sportel Awards Ceremony in Monte Carlo with nephew Louis Ducruet

October 6 – Albert tells RMC radio Charlene is ‘ready to come home’ 

October 8 – Princess undergoes surgery in South Africa

The Monégasque prince has claimed former Olympian Charlene will return home ‘very shortly’ and anticipates doctors in South Africa will clear his wife for travel within days. 

He told People that current plans involve Charlene returning to the principality within weeks after spending much of this year in her native South Africa following a ‘serious sinus infection’ which made her unable to travel and forced her to miss key events including her 10-year wedding anniversary and her children’s first day of school.  

Albert insisted that his wife will return home ‘way before [Monaco’s National Day] on November 19’, adding ‘she’s in good form and much better spirits’. 

He even hopes Charlene, 43, will be able to join him earlier on a planned November 13 visit to Dubai’s World Expo, an international cultural exhibition, but admitted: ‘We’ll make that decision at the last minute. 

On October 8, Zimbabwean-born Charlene underwent a final operation to deal with an ear, nose and throat infection she contracted in May – with a palace source telling AFP that the procedure ‘went very well’. 

But the royal’s absence from the principality has sparked rumours of a rift between Charlene and Albert – which the pair have recently denied. 

Last week Princess Charlene said she ‘can’t wait to get home to her children’  but made no reference to her husband Albert in an interview given in South Africa.          

The princess, whose maiden name was Charlene Wittstock, was an Olympic swimmer for South Africa when she first met Albert at a Monaco aquatic competition in 2000.

They began dating soon afterwards, before Charlene married into the House of Grimaldi at a star-studded wedding in July 2011.

Their twins – daughter Gabriella and son Jacques – were born three years later and are seen as the family’s official heirs.

By this time, Charlene had come to terms with Albert’s hard fought legal battles with women who eventually won financial settlements over children they had with Albert – even though he originally denied their claims.

In May 2005, just before he was enthroned as Prince of Monaco, Albert confirmed he was the biological father of Alexandre, whose mother was Nicole Coste, a former Air France flight attendant from Togo.

A DNA test in May 2006 also confirmed Albert was the father of Jazmine Grace, the result of an affair with Tamara Rotolo, an American estate agent he met while she was on holiday in the South of France.

Jazmine was born in the 1990s and Alexandre in 2003. The Brazilian woman says she travelled around the world with the Prince in the 2000s.

Lawyer Grimaldi said he had filed papers with specific details of his client’s love affair with Albert, including trips to Brazil, the USA, France and Russia.

While in Moscow, the lovers are even said to have had a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, who gave the Brazilian ‘a warm hug’, according to court papers. 

Albert’s lawyer, Thierry Lacoste, has described the allegations as a ‘a hoax’, saying: ‘There are no intimate photos, no tangible facts surrounding a possible relationship.’

Neither Albert’s daughter Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, now 28, nor his son, Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, 17, can claim the throne of Monaco, according to negotiated financial agreements.

The line of succession instead favours Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, six, and who frequently appear in their parents’ social media posts.      

 

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