Prince Albert of Monaco's eldest son, Alexandre Grimaldi, has spoken out about his relationship with his father in a rare interview ahead of his 20th birthday on 24 August.
The royal confirmed he was the biological father of Alexandre, whose mother is Nicole Coste, a former Air France flight attendant from Togo, in May 2005, just before he was enthroned as Prince of Monaco, and before his marriage to Princess Charlene in 2011.
Alexandre has remained largely out of the spotlight but has been increasingly visible at public events. While he has always gone by his father's last name privately, it was only in 2022 – with Prince Albert's blessing – that Alexandre began to publicly use the family name of Grimaldi, instead of hyphenating it with his mother's surname, Coste.
"My father's name is Grimaldi. It makes sense that I bear his name. I would have been called Dochomel if my father had been Mr. Dochomel!" he told French magazine Point de Vue. "Besides, I never called myself Coste or Coste-Grimaldi. On no ID, at school or on my diplomas. Those who call me that have a malicious attitude."
Alexandre continued: "Nor am I 'illegitimate' since when I was born, neither of my parents was in another marriage, and they did not commit adultery. Using that word is insulting!
"I hope no one believes the lies conveyed on the internet. One bears the name of one's father when one has been recognized since birth. I had voluntary recognition from my father when I was a baby. Not from a judge or the press who have forced him to."
Speaking about his mother, Alexandre added: "My mother, whom I adore is my rock, and she is not jealous at all of my choice. If she never said anything about my surname, it's been to protect our privacy. I was two years old when I was revealed in the press.
"My mother is tender by nature and let a lot of things be said because she was always advised to 'let the story go.' Me, I will be more procedural because I was born in France, but I grew up in an Anglo-Saxon country. I'll attack if necessary."
Neither Alexandre nor his half-sister, 31-year-old Jazmin Grace Grimaldi – whose mother is real estate agent Tamara Rotolo – are in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne as their parents never married. However, Alexandre – who is studying business management at an English university – has some idea about what his future career may be.
"My education has taught me to love my neighbour and to help him if necessary," he said. "Climate and environmental issues preoccupy me like everyone else and any young person in the 21st century. We must preserve nature. The friends of my older brothers who have entrepreneurial parents collaborate with their fathers or with their family, and they are quite happy about it. So, I don't have any concerns about that."
Alexandre hasn't ruled out following in his family's footsteps though and trying his hand at modelling. His grandmother was former actress and model, Grace Kelly – who became Princess Grace when she married Prince Rainier – and his cousin, Charlotte Casiraghi, is a brand ambassador for Chanel.
"As a teenager, I thought about it. The idea of being photographed in nice clothes and looking elegant amused me," he explained. "But COVID happened, and I ended up losing interest. I was also a minor. My father is a prince and head of state — I personally cannot imagine myself marching on a podium."
Alexandre added: "On the other hand, if a prestigious brand asks me to be its ambassador and its image suits me, why not? One thing is certain: Today, I am a happy man being open and honest with you."