Jazmin Grace Grimaldi was first catapulted into the spotlight at the tender age of 14, when Prince Albert of Monaco officially recognized her as his daughter. Almost a decade later, Jazmin, who lives in New York City, strikes a retro pose in Harper's Baazar exuding her grandmother Princess Grace as she opens up about her relationship with her dad and how Monaco's royal family have welcomed her.
Jazmin has largely stayed out of the public eye and managed to lead a relatively normal life in New York City, but getting to know her famous father and build a relationship with him was always a priority. Now that Prince Albert, 57, and his wife of four years Princess Charlene have twins together – Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella – Jazmin is even more eager to spend time with her half-siblings.
"I can't wait to be a sister to them and watch them grow up," Jazmin, whose mother is California native Tamara Rotolo, told Harpers Bazaar. "They have these beautiful, big blue eyes – and they are both already so well behaved!"
The 23-year-old was speaking from the palace in Monaco, where she was bonding with the 7-month-old tots. She first traveled to the European principality when she was 11 to meet her dad, and since then Jazmin has made regular visits.
"They have these beautiful, big blue eyes – and they are both already so well behaved!" Photo: Getty Images
"I wanted that moment to connect with my father, to get to know him and to have him get to know me," she said. "Not having had that figure around, I missed that. It's wonderful that it happened when it did, and we've been enjoying a great relationship ever since.
"This is my first interview, my first time going public. It's delicate, but I think I'm ready to step out and share my story a little bit further."
Prince Albert confirmed Jazmin's paternity in June 2006 when his daughter was a young teenager. "I was 14, getting ready to go to high school, when it hit the media that my father had a daughter, and it was me," said Jazmin, who has learned to deal with press attention. "It's a difficult time for any young adult, and it was an adjustment to have that attention. But I knew it was going to come someday."
The straight-A student shares the same love for performing as her grandmother Grace. "One of my first and fondest memories involving my grandmother was watching High Society," she shared of Grace Kelly's 1956 musical. "It was the first time I realized we had a connection. I'm passionate about acting, singing and dancing. It was a real goose-bumps moment for me."