26-05-2025
Princess Charlene risks awkward run-in with Prince Albert's ex-mistress Nicole Coste and his love children as they ALL attend Monaco F1 Grand Prix
Princess Charlene risked an awkward run-in with her husband's former mistress at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.
The former Olympic swimmer, 47, cut a glamorous figure in a red blouse and matching trousers as she joined Prince Albert, 67, at the annual occasion in Monte Carlo over the weekend.
Earlier in the day, Nicole Coste - who dated Albert in secret for seven years and shares a son, Alexandre, with the royal - revealed she was at the prestigious event alongside their 21-year-old child.
Posting on Instagram, the fashion designer, who met the Prince while working as a flight attendant in 1997, shared a photo of herself on the pit-lane alongside her son, with the sweet photo captioned: 'Happy Mother's Day. Monaco Grand Prix.'
Meanwhile, Jazmin Grimaldi, who is Prince Albert of Monaco 's 'illegitimate' daughter with American real estate agent Tamara Rotolo, took to Instagram to also share a snap celebrating 'race day'.
The American-born actress and singer didn't showcase a photo of herself at the gathering, but instead showed off a spectacular view of the racetrack from an unidentified building. It's unclear if she later attended the event in person.
Albert and Nicole's 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.
Ahead of her 2011 wedding to Prince Albert, Charlene reportedly fell out with Nicole after she put her step-son Alexandre up in the Palace's staff wing.
While she has previously had a frosty relationship with Albert too - claiming he 'doesn't want to see his son' - she has recently lavished praise on the monarch - sharing a photo with him on a birthday of his with the caption: 'Happy birthday Albert. The world will recognise you as The Loyal, the Dignity, the KING'.
In November 2022, she shared another shot of Albert with Alexandre and Jazmin in New York, with the cheeky caption: 'Paternally king'.
Coste gave birth to her son Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste in August 2003, two years before Albert, then heir to the Monegasque throne, started dating Princess Charlene, who he went on to marry in 2011.
Nicole and Albert had dated for five years and the Togo-born beauty had made public appearances with her royal beau and even met his late 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, born to American Tamara Rotolo in 1992.
In the same interview, 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.
The former Olympic swimmer, 47, cut a glamorous figure in a red blouse and matching trousers as she joined Prince Albert, 67, at the annual occasion in Monte Carlo over the weekend
'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.'
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.
Coste 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.
Both Jazmin and Alexandre were struck off Monaco's line of succession in return for financial settlements.
