Princess brings a royal touch and a message for kids
EVEN princesses are interrupted by their husbands’ ill-timed phone calls.
Princess Charlene of Monaco joked about a call from Prince Albert of Monaco, just as a small group of socialites, Swazi royalty and sports stars gathered for the meet-at-greet in Morningside, Johannesburg, on Friday night to celebrate her philanthropic foundation.
“If you’ll excuse me, Albert’s phoning me, right now . . . I have got to speak to the prince,” the 39-year-old said to members of the media.
Her Serene Highness (a title once held by her late mother-inlaw, Grace Kelly) was resplendent in a long, red evening gown and diamond jewellery.
The former South African Olympic swimmer and now Monegasque royalty is visiting to promote her foundation, which she started in 2012. The foundation champions sports values and swimming safety.
“I hope, with your help, the foundation can grow from strength to strength,” she said.
The key function of her learn-to-swim schools is to prevent drowning. World Health Organisation statistics show that there is a drowning every 20 seconds around the world.
“I want South African children to learn that they should not fear water, and that they must respect it. Swimming teaches discipline, skill and it is good for the body,” she said.
Her ambassadors include tennis star Novak Djokovic, motor racing’s Jenson Button, swimmers Terence Parkin, Ryk Neethling and World Cup-winning Springbok rugby captain Francois Pienaar.
The event was attended by Tokyo Sexwale and his young partner, Nataxa da Silva, Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba and his wife Connie, businessman Vivian Reddy, beauty queen Rolene Strauss, former Springbok rugby star Percy Montgomery, a Swazi princess and the local swimming fraternity. The event was hosted by businessman Gavin Varejes and his wife Jo-Ann.
Earlier in the week, the princess visited Gugulesizwe Primary School in Daveyton, Benoni. She donated her swimming medals to the school where she had started a vegetable garden in 2012. The garden now helps feed the community near her former home.
Yesterday, she hosted the inaugural charity racing event, the Princess Charlene Ladies Day, at Turffontein racecourse in aid of the Red Cross, Gugulesizwe Primary School and the Highveld Horse Care Unit.
Asked about her role as a princess in the modern day, she said: “Every girl is a princess. Creating great adults means being a person with integrity who uses whatever gifts and talents they have been blessed with to make a difference in society.
“A great adult is someone who can educate their children in life-saving skills that can be passed from generation to generation.”
The princess, who travelled without her husband and her 18-month-old twins, Jacques and Gabrielle, said her duties meant there were no typical days, apart from prioritising her children.
“I want them to learn respect and compassion for others. I also want them to appreciate the outdoors, but I think they will pick that up naturally from Albert and I,” she said.