Going on vacation when you’re a celebrity can be an impossible mission. And it’s even more complicated when you’re part of a royal family. Indeed, photographers are always on the lookout to try to capture a private moment, which can have serious consequences. Everyone remembers the case of the stolen photos of Kate Middleton when she was sunbathing topless. Privacy being an essential element for crowned heads, they rely on very secure properties where they are certain not to be observed. This is particularly the case for Charlene and Albert of Monaco who own a well-hidden estate in the Aisne department.
A very private castle
It is at the Château de Marchais that the Monegasque royal family comes to spend a few summer weekends. Located about sixty kilometers from the Belgian border, it sits on an estate of nearly 1,500 hectares. Half of it is cultivated and the other half is reserved for hunting. The property was purchased by Charles III of Monaco in 1854. At the time, it was open to the public and the inhabitants took advantage of the green spaces to meet up.
It was Prince Rainier III who ended this arrangement to give maximum security and privacy to his family.Prince Rainier was forced to close everything down when the paparazzi started photographing his two daughters. They were everywhere, perched in trees to get a better shot. A real scourge“, declared a resident of the village to The Voice of the North in 2019.
Albert of Monaco close to the inhabitants
Although the Château de Marchais is protected, this does not prevent Charlène and Albert of Monaco from mingling with the 430 inhabitants of the village. When they are passing through, they can be seen cycling in the streets or even at the bar for Jacques and Gabriella’s father.He is left alone, but don’t think he is withdrawn. He talks to everyone. Sometimes he goes to the bar in Liesse. One day, he came across a man in the middle of a conversation who was moaning at him. ‘Do you know the prince?’, he asked him. ‘No? Well, it’s me,’ and they had a drink together.”, explained the same resident.
But the latter insisted on the fact that the familiarities were always initiated by Charlene and Albert of Monaco and not the other way around: “When he is here, he is left in peace. The sovereign comes here to have some peace and quiet. To be able to relax and move around freely..”
tv/CewmkI6lD50" data-instgrm-version="14"/>
