Alexandre Grimaldi covers the December issue of Tatler. Alexandre – who goes by Alex – is the son of Monaco’s Prince Albert and stewardess Nicole Coste. Prince Albert kept his years-long relationship with Nicole a secret, and the media didn’t know of Alex’s birth or existence for many years. Albert had several children out of wedlock, but his relationship with Nicole still makes headlines because Nicole gives interviews and she’s still involved in some way with Albert. Albert seems to be trying to provide for Alex like some kind of heir, and there’s definitely a well-financed effort to make Alex into a prince-adjacent celebrity figure. Like, this Tatler piece reads like someone is funding some elite PR, as does the magazine’s description of Alex’s life in New York, where he’s apartment-hunting for a January move. Some highlights:
Alex wants a business partnership with his father. ‘[I aspire to] work in a relationship with my dad and become this – let’s say – global ambassador for Monaco, and to bring business opportunities back to Monaco, which is what I’ve talked about with him.’
His life in New York: Alexandre is living in the Four Seasons while scoping out apartments (he plans to move to New York from London in January) and attending New York Fashion Week: a Chanel party in Williamsburg; a Dior event in Brooklyn; a Tommy Hilfiger brunch in Tribeca; and Naomi Campbell’s Pretty Little Thing show at the Cipriani.
He wants brand ambassadorships: ‘I relate to elegance. I love Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy. The big French houses. There’s a cultural connection which I admire.’ His most treasured piece of clothing is a pair of Off-White jeans designed by the late Virgil Abloh. ‘They have graphic angels in heaven. I’m a religious man. I like to go to church – I am Catholic – and to have that represented in fashion was quite nice.’ But don’t expect Alexandre to be strutting down the catwalk as a model: he has already turned down agency offers.
How he grew up: Nicole and Alexandre got on with their lives, living (together with two sons from her previous relationship) in the prince’s apartment in Paris, with an allowance. When Alexandre was a child, they moved to the South of France, New York and Geneva, and ultimately settled in Knightsbridge 13 years ago.
He’s not involved with the other Grimaldi dramas: ‘It was easy because I wasn’t too much in the public eye. It hasn’t affected me that much. Now it’s definitely going to become interesting, being more public and showing my face more, and being tied in with my family.’ Indeed, Alexandre’s blended family has allowed him to be part of two worlds, ‘especially, with my mum being French-African and my dad being Monegasque. I’ve had the pleasure of being brought up in two cultures and having that be part of my identity.’
He spends Christmas in St. Barth’s: Christmases and New Years have often been spent with his mother’s side of the family at Eden Rock in St Barths. ‘It’s one of my favourite places: I really like the island vibe, I love the sun,’ he says. ‘I went to Togo [recently] to visit my mum’s home country, which is a place that I really enjoy. I’d love to do charity there.’ And summers? They have long been spent in Monaco, dipping into royal life with his dad: playing volleyball and padel, watching movies (Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained is a favourite) and celebrating birthdays.
All seems well behind palace doors. ‘With my dad it’s good, we’re starting to see each other a lot more. During the holiday season, we are spending a lot of time together. It’s a very good relationship.’
His grandmother, Grace Kelly: ‘I’ve seen a couple of her Hitchcock movies, my favourite being Dial M for Murder. We [Jazmin and I] talk about her a lot, because of the things we’re currently doing – especially Jazmin, as she’s sort of following in our grandmother’s footsteps in Hollywood. We always talk about that and about how she wants to continue her legacy.’
Why he’s moving to NYC from London. ‘I feel I’ve outgrown [London]. Coming to New York is better for me to grow as a person, to be independent. This is the first time I’m moving out by myself. My mum understands that it’s necessary. Even though I’m her last child and she has that feeling that the last one’s leaving, she understands that it’s important for me to be independent.’
[From Tatler]
While this has not been the case historically, I do think that Albert is trying to “do right” by Alex in particular. While I find it messy, I also think it’s 2023 and the situation is surprisingly modern. Albert clearly wants to have a relationship with Alex, and Albert is now and has always been financing much of Alex’s life. I think the shift that’s happened in the past few years is that Alex has gotten older- he just celebrated his 20th birthday in Monaco, with the Grimaldis, over the summer. Now that he’s an adult, he can make choices about what kind of relationship he wants with his dad, and clearly, he wants to have some kind of place in the Grimaldi family and “the business” of being royal/royal-adjacent.
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Cover & IG courtesy of Tatler.
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