20 photos that show how Princess Charlene of Monaco's style has evolved, from her days as an Olympic athlete to a European princess
Maria Noyen
- Princess Charlene of Monaco wasn't always one of the most recognized royal women.
- Before marrying Prince Albert, Charlene was an Olympic swimmer representing South Africa.
When Princess Charlene married Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011, her life changed.
Once best known as an Olympic swimmer representing South Africa, she was reintroduced to the world as a princess.
According to the official Monaco royal website, she was born Charlene Lynette Wittstock on January 25, 1978, in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. At age 12, she moved to South Africa with her parents and her younger brothers.
There she began forging a career as a swimmer, taking home several awards at the 1997 South African championship, including the prized Best Female Swimmer.
In 2000, Charlene represented South Africa at the Sydney Olympics. As fate would have it, her future husband Albert was there as a spectator. But the pair wouldn't officially cross paths until she visited Monaco for a swimming competition later that year. From there, their relationship blossomed into a marriage, which was followed by the birth of their twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
However, marrying into a royal family came with certain lifestyle adjustments, including the way Charlene dressed in public.
From her days as an Olympic athlete to being one of the most recognized princesses around the world today, here's a closer look at Charlene's style evolution.
In 2001, Charlene was still very much in her athlete era.
She was photographed in South Africa in a laid-back look that consisted of gray sweatpants, a navy-blue windbreaker, and Nike sneakers.
Later that year, she maintained her sporty sense of style on the front cover of South African Sports Illustrated.
For the photo shoot, Charlene wore a sporty red tank top, white flared jeans, and a sailor hat. In keeping with the easygoing, nautical aesthetic of the shoot, she opted to go barefoot.
Charlene and Albert made their first public appearance as a couple at a 2006 F1 Monaco Grand Prix party. For the big night, she wore a black floor-length gown.
The elegant evening look was a world away from Charlene's previous ensembles. It featured a knee-length slit with lace detailing.
She paired the gown with silver drop earrings and a matching clutch.
Charlene brushed shoulders with fashion heavyweights like Karl Lagerfeld at the 2007 Monaco Red Cross ball — but she went on to regret her look.
For her first appearance at Monaco's annual Red Cross Ball, Charlene wore a sparkly, semi-sheer, backless ball gown that she borrowed from a friend, according to her Tatler interview in 2010.
Reflecting on the look, Charlene wasn't exactly fond of her choice. "I looked like a Christmas tree," she said.
"'I was used to living in a swimsuit and totally clueless about fashion. The day of the ball, I had been playing volleyball all day on the beach and didn't think about getting ready until late in the afternoon," Charlene added.
In a separate interview with Vogue before her 2011 wedding, Charlene also remembered this outfit as one of her least favorite.
"Finding my fashion feet has certainly been the biggest challenge," she said. "I realize that my debut into Monaco society should have been better executed!"
Charlene ditched the sparkly gowns for cargo shorts and a light-blue polo later that year.
She wore the casual ensemble during a visit to Richards Bay in South Africa to teach kids swimming lessons.
Charlene opted for a more daring look for the 2007 Closing Ceremony of the Small European States games.
For the event, she wore a black, strapless bustier top over asymmetric suit pants that featured a slit on the left leg. She accessorized with a sheer black scarf and a black clutch.
She tapped into the rock-and-roll theme of the 2009 Rose Ball with a bold hairdo and a black bejeweled gown.
Charlene's sleeveless dress featured a daring neckline and colorful jewels. A matching biker glove and a small black clutch completed the ensemble.
Albert and Charlene announced their engagement in June 2010. For the official photographs sharing the big news, she wore a colorful, floor-length dress.
The flowy blue-and-green gown was designed by Akris, according to People. It was backless and featured an elegant halter neck.
The official portraits also showed off her sparkling engagement ring, which featured a three-carat, pear-cut diamond surrounded by smaller round jewels, Brides reported.
For the couple's civil marriage ceremony, Charlene collaborated with Karl Lagerfeld to come up with her powder-blue ensemble that perfectly complemented her eyes.
The ensemble, made of a blazer and palazzo pants, was both regal and reflective of Charlene's sporty aesthetic.
"It's feminine and keeps with tradition yet has a little twist that reflects my personal style," Charlene told Vogue. "I thought it was a nice change to go for trousers instead of a skirt, especially since I'm an athlete and have always kept my clothes clean and simple."
Later, for the grand religious ceremony, she dazzled in a custom-made Giorgio Armani gown that took 2,500 hours to make.
The designer told Vogue that the off-the-shoulder gown — which was made of Duchesse silk and silk organza — was covered in 40,000 Swarovski crystals, 30,000 gold stones, and 20,000 mother-of-pearl teardrops.
The look was completed with an intricate, silk tulle veil that took around 100 hours to embroider.
In 2012, the newlyweds made a dapper debut as a married couple on the Oscars red carpet.
For the occasion, Charlene wore a sleeveless, ivory Akris gown that was partially sheer at the top and featured a cutout at the back, according to Red Carpet Fashion Awards.
Channeling the regal image of her late mother-in-law Grace Kelly, Charlene arrived at the 2013 Princess Grace Awards in a striking Ralph Lauren gown.
The sleeveless Ralph Lauren gown featured a ruffled halter neck and a small train, according to The Cut. She paired it with a simple gold bracelet.
While distributing Christmas gifts to children in Monaco in 2015, Charlene stood out in a beige cape jacket.
The princess paired the unique jacket with a black turtleneck, black leggings, and leather knee-length boots.
Charlene arrived at the 2017 Red Cross Ball in a silver, sleeveless jumpsuit designed by Versace.
Charlene's shimmery, sleeveless pantsuit — which was designed by Versace, according to W Magazine — featured semi-sheer, palazzo-style pants.
She later attended Versace's Spring 2018 show in an asymmetric, chainmail minidress with several daring cutouts.
Charlene wore the bold dress with a black leather biker jacket and silver stilettos.
Ditching a gown for the 2018 Princess Grace Awards Gala, Charlene instead wore a black suit with suspenders.
She kept the top buttons of her white shirt open and wore her suit jacket casually over her shoulders.
In 2020, she showed off a brand-new, half-shaved haircut at the annual Monaco Christmas gift distribution.
Charlene's hairstyle was met with mixed reactions following the annual Christmas event in Monaco, according to People. Nevertheless, the outlet reported that she told the French magazine Point de Vue that she didn't care for anyone else's opinion.
"This haircut was my decision," she said. "It seems that it has provoked all kinds of comments. But it turns out that I wanted it for a long time. The style pleases me. That's all."
In 2022, she returned to the F1 Monaco Grand Prix racetrack wearing a powder-blue Terrence Bray jumpsuit.
People reported that the unique jumpsuit was designed by Terrence Bray. It featured a wide neckline and bell sleeves.
She later put another unique spin on regal attire at a ceremony honoring Monaco National Day.
According to People, Charlene's eye-catching white coat was designed by one of her go-to brands, Akris.
The princess paired it with a black turtleneck, leather gloves, and a wide-brimmed hat made by British hatmaker Stephen Jones.
For the Monaco National Day gala in 2023, Charlene went for a dazzling ruby-red ensemble.
The festive dress was designed by DidierAngelo, according to Town and Country. Charlene coordinated the gown with her lipstick, jewelry, heels, and nail color, which were all similar shades of scarlet red.
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