Princess Charlene of Monaco shares her family's tragedy and commitment to drowning prevention
Princess Charlene of Monaco has spoken for the first time about a personal tragedy that shaped her life and inspired her work to prevent drowning.
The former Olympic swimmer, who married Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011, has dedicated much of her public life to children’s safety in water and education through sport.
In 2012, she launched the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation to help reduce drownings worldwide.
Charlene told French newspaper Ouest-France that she is deeply worried about the increase in drownings in recent years. “Water must remain a place of joy, not of mourning,” she said, adding that prevention starts with teaching children to swim from a young age and showing adults how to react in emergencies.
The Princess explained that the fight against drowning is personal. For the first time, she revealed that as a child she lost her cousin Richard, who drowned in a river near her uncle’s home when he was only five years old. “It was devastating. I don’t think that pain will ever go away,” she said.
In 2018, she faced another painful loss when the 19-month-old daughter of close friends drowned in a neighbour’s swimming pool. “Nothing could bring their baby back to life, and I can’t even imagine the pain they both felt,” she told Point de Vue.
As a mother to twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, Charlene has made sure her children feel safe and confident in the water. “Jaki and Bella,” as they are called at home, learnt to swim very early.
They have already taken part in beginner diving and water rescue lessons at the Monaco Naval Academy and joined the Seadventures Summer Camp, where they both won medals.
Over the past ten years, Charlene’s foundation has worked to make swimming a basic right for children. The charity offers free swimming lessons, school and lifeguard training, and runs awareness campaigns in partnership with schools, clubs and community groups.
For Charlene, it is not only about numbers or statistics. “Behind every victim, there is a devastated family,” she said, a truth she knows all too well.
IOL Entertainment