Princely digest: How Prince and his family spent the Christmas holidays

Everyone has the right to rest. Especially in the New Year holidays. And the ruling Princely couple is not an exception. We are going to reveal to you “mysteries” of Christmas holidays of Prince and his family.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco have returned to Ireland with an informal visit to County Louth, reported Independent.ie.

Last week the Monaco royal returned for a third time – the second visit took place in 2011 –  as he paid an informal visit to Bru na Boinne and Newgrange on Wednesday, alongside his wife Princess Charlene.

Prince Albert first visit to Ireland as a three-year-old in 1961 for a week-long holiday with his parents, Prince Rainier III and the Irish-American actress Grace Kelly; an event that whipped up such a frenzy that crowds gathered outside the Gresham Hotel in Dublin in their thousands and bunting was displayed on the streets of Cong in County Mayo.

But now it was a low-key affair compared to his very first visit to this country. After enjoying a morning of sightseeing, the royal couple and their friends stopped off at The Monasterboice Inn for a spot of lunch.

Roseanne Donegan, the Monasterboice Inn manager, told Independent.ie that her team was both surprised and delighted to receive royal visitors.

“We had no idea that they were coming. We got a phone call in advance to ask us to keep a seat for 12 celebrity guests, as well as a table for six for their entourage. We prepared the tables as we would for any other visitor but we weren’t too excited because we really had no idea who or what to expect.”

 Prince Albert may be one of the wealthiest men in the world but Ms Donegan said that the monarch behaved like a regular visitor and her staff members were charmed by the down-to-earth manner of the entire party.

“They were such a lovely family. They were just so down-to-earth. It was just like serving any other family in the restaurant.

“Prince Albert requested to sit in the bar but unfortunately we didn’t have seats available so they sat in the restaurant. He ordered a seafood chowder and a pint of Hophouse 13.”

The couple was not accompanied by their children, two-year-old twins Princess Gabrielle and Prince Jacques. They were joined by Princess Charlene’s brother, his wife and their toddler son, as well as some close friends.

Ms Donegan said that their fellow customers didn’t make a fuss over the royal family and they enjoyed their meal without any intrusion.

“They were wonderful guests. Princess Charlene is stunning, a really attractive woman. She was just delightful. They all were. They’d such an interest in the area. He [Prince Albert) knew all about Monasterboice. I gave them a gift when they were leaving, two books on local history from Professor Haberson. They seemed really happy with it.

Stephanie of Monaco and her children buy ‘The Rock’

The princely family had fun playing Monopoly

During the holidays, Princess Stephanie of Monaco had a good time with her family and especially with her children. The daughter of Grace Kelly along with her daughters Pauline and Camille amused themselves around an absurd game of Monegasque Monopoly…

For Stephanie of Monaco, buying Princess Caroline Street or Place du Palais for a hundred dollars must be a very strange feeling. Yet that is what amused the Princess during her end-of-year celebrations. To animate their evenings by the fireplace, the pretty mother can count on the good humor and the imagination of her children. In her suitcases after her stay in Auron, Camille Gottlieb, the youngest daughter of the Princess, brought home a particular Monopoly set.

On Instagram, the girl shared the cliché of a family game around the set “Monopoly Monaco”, a special edition of the famous board game which Princess Stephanie and her children seem to love. “When you miss Monaco,” commented Camille Gottlieb below her photo. It is therefore amusing to imagine the daughter of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly acquiring the streets she grew up on with garishly-colored bank notes…

For Pauline, who also spent her vacation with her mother and who was also brought up in Monaco, this Monopoly version was also an opportunity to invest in Princess Charlotte Boulevard, Princess Grace Avenue or Boulevard Albert I des Names, streets named after her famous ancestors.

Source : Independent.ie