Monaco Prince Albert's children outside of marriage: Where are they now?

The private life of crowned heads has always aroused people's curiosity, and the Principality of Monaco is no exception. Very discreet about his private life, Prince Albert II has only rarely accepted interviews with the press. And yet, the prince has often, in spite of himself, made headlines for his many conquests of the past... and his children in the shadows.

Before marrying Charlene Wittstock in 2011, Prince Albert did not lead such an orderly life as he does today. Indeed, the Monegasque sovereign is known to have had a large number of love affairs in the past.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the press reported on the prince's relationships with celebrities such as Naomi Campbell, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kylie Minogue, Sharon Stone (photo), and Claudia Schiffer.

But the prince has not only dated famous women, he has also had many more anonymous partners. For example, he had a love affair with an American waitress (Tamara Rotolo), and a few years later, with a Togolese air hostess (Nicole Coste). These two women are the respective mothers of his so-called "illegitimate" children, Jazmin Grace Grimaldi and Alexandre Grimaldi Coste.

In the summer of 1991, just separated from her ex-husband, Tamara Rotolo flew to France to spend her holidays on the Côte d'Azur. It was there that she met Prince Albert, the heir to the throne of Monaco. They had a romance for a fortnight and Tamara returned to California. But the story didn't end there...

Nine months later, on March 4, 1992, Tamara gave birth to Jazmin Grace in Palm Springs, California. The little girl grew up far from her father, Prince Albert. The two didn't meet until 2003, in Monaco. Born out of wedlock, she was only officially recognized by her father at the age of 14, in June 2006.

Today, Jazmin Grace Grimaldi still lives in California, near her mother. The 30-something has embarked on an artistic career - like her paternal grandmother Grace Kelly - and is both a singer and an actress. She notably released a single called 'Fearless' in 2019 and starred in the movie 'Renaissance' in 2022.

Jazmin Grace is also very involved in humanitarian and social causes. For example, she created her own foundation, 'The Jazmin Fund,' to help children in underprivileged countries. Also, she joined American fashion designer Tory Burch's 'Embrace Ambition' campaign, aimed at financially helping women who embark on entrepreneurship.

Since 2017, Jazmin Grace has had a relationship with American musician Ian Mellencamp, with whom she settled in Hollywood. According to the American media, their villa costs a 'modest' 3 million dollars.

Albert of Monaco met Nicole Coste in 1997, on a Paris-Nice flight. The Togolese was then 28 years old and worked as a flight attendant for Air France. When they met, Nicole Coste was married to a man fifteen years her senior and already had two children. A year after her meeting with the prince, she asked for a divorce to fully live her romance with Prince Albert.

Although they were discreet, their relationship lasted several years. According to Prince Albert, their story ended after his father, Prince Rainier III, demanded it. Then, separated from her prince, Nicole Coste gave birth to her son Alexandre, on August 24, 2003, in Paris.

“Contrary to what some have said, Albert has always assumed his role as a father,' Nicole Coste told the magazine Paris Match in 2021. But if Prince Albert took care financially of his son since his birth, he did not recognize him publicly until two years later. Indeed, it was not until the death of Prince Rainier in 2005 that Alexandre officially joined the Monaco family.

Today, Alexandre Coste-Grimaldi is a young man studying in college in France. Endowed with a natural charisma, he would also be interested in modeling.

Photo: Paris Match cover - September 2021

As soon as he officially recognized his first two children, Albert II of Monaco made it a point of honor to integrate them into his large family. The Monegasque prince tries to see his children as often as he can, especially during charity galas or royal events.

In November 2022, Nicole Coste posted on her Instagram account a photo of Prince Albert and his two eldest children in New York. A beautiful (and very rare) family photo.

Photo: nicole.coste / Instagram

According to Article 10 of the Constitution of Monaco, children born out of wedlock cannot be included in the order of succession to the Monegasque throne. Alexander and Jazmin Grace are therefore not considered heirs to the throne, unlike their half-brother and half-sister, Jacques and Gabriella (photo).

Nevertheless, they are heirs to the personal fortune of Albert II, estimated at almost a billion dollars.