Princess Charlene of Monaco’s style evolution from athlete to royal: once ‘used to living in a swimsuit’, she’s since wed in Giorgio Armani, wowed in Versace, and worn Ralph Lauren on the red carpet
- From Olympic swimmer to the wife of Grace Kelly’s son, Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Charlene has had to find her fashion feet in full view of the public since 2001
- No longer photographed in tracksuits and trainers, however, the princess has gone from being ‘totally clueless about fashion’ to killing it on the red carpet in Versace, Ralph Lauren and Akris
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 recognised princesses around the world today, here’s a closer look at Charlene’s style evolution.
Charlene the athlete
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 grey sweatpants, a navy blue windbreaker, and Nike trainers.