A princely €200k break for Charlene
Aprivate jet flew out of Baldonnel Aerodrome to the south-west of Dublin last Sunday afternoon. Onboard the luxurious aeroplane — bound for Nice — was Albert II, Prince of Monaco, Charlene, Princess of Monaco, their two children, some friends and their security team. Au revoir, Albert. They had come straight from the K Club, which the reigning monarch of the Principality of Monaco and his family had called home for the previous 10 days.
Conde Nast Traveller magazine has said the club resembled a French chateaux. Perhaps that had something to do Prince Albert’s decision to spend ten days at the luxury complex with his wife and family.
More likely the decision was made because his VBF in Monaco — a certain charismatic Irishman by the name of Michael Smurfit — owns this stately pile in Kildare on 550 ludicrously lush acres.
But Prince Albert didn’t quite stay at the K Club. He and his family actually stayed at the ultra-exclusive Straffan House, a private residence in the grounds of the K Club, complete with its own swimming pool, a private chef, and a team of staff to cater to your every whim.
Befitting, perhaps, the head of the princely House of Grimaldi.
It has ten palatial bedrooms, plus your own spa and gym, games room, and screening theatre to watch The Crown on Netflix.
Prince Albert, who is not stuck for a few quid, probably spent well over €200,000 during his 10-day stay at Straffan House alone. Not that the prince and princess stayed cocooned in their chic lodgings.
They were surprise guests — certainly to the 150 people staying at the main hotel — at the ball held at the K Club on New Year’s Eve.
They had dinner and also got up and danced to the band like the rest of the not-so-royal attendees at the ball.
A few nights prior to that, Dr Smurfit himself flew in from his home in Monaco to host a private dinner for Albert, Charlene, their children and their friends at Dr Smurfit’s other home.
They were all — sans Dr Smurfit — also spotted having dinner several evenings at the Straffan Inn (owned by the K Club) in the village nearby, with their security in ever-so-discreet attendance.
Albert and Charlene also ventured out farther afield — to Newgrange, Kildare Village, the Guinness Hop Store and the Teeling Distillery.
They were also seen golfing, shooting and horse-riding at the K Club from the day they ever-so-discreetly arrived at their private residence on December 27; whereupon the French royals were picked up from their private jet at Baldonnel and whisked in a convoy of chauffeurdriven cars to Straffan House.
C’est magnifique.