Charlene Wittstock

Biography

Charlene, Princess of Monaco (née Charlene Lynette Wittstock), was born on 25 January 1978 in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). She is the daughter of Michael and Lynette Wittstock and has German, English, and Irish ancestry. In 1989, her family moved to the Transvaal, South Africa. Charlene is a former Olympic swimmer, having represented South Africa at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where her team finished fifth in the women's 4×100 m medley. She retired from competitive swimming in 2007. Charlene met Albert II, Prince of Monaco, in 2000 at a swimming event and began accompanying him on official duties in 2006. The couple announced their engagement in June 2010 and were married on 1 July 2011. She currently resides in Monaco and is involved in various charitable activities.