Prince Albert II of Monaco recently hosted a star-studded gala with a statuesque, blonde beauty by his side – but it wasn’t his wife Princess Charlene.
Instead, the 63-year-old royal linked arms with Hollywood heavyweight Sharon Stone, the guest of honour at the Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health. The glamorous pair gleefully posed together on the red carpet, before being joined by other A-listers, as well as numerous members of the Monaco royal family.
WATCH: Princess Charlene and Prince Albert celebrate their wedding anniversary
Rumours of a rift between Prince Albert and Princess Charlene have been rampant throughout 2021 – and his red carpet appearance alongside the Basic Instinct sex bomb did nothing to quash them! For several months, the couple’s been living apart, with Charlene in her native South Africa while recovering from surgery.
But on this chi-chi night of nights, all eyes were on the body language between Prince Albert and Sharon, also 63, who share a long, storied but largely secret history.
Although it’s unclear how and when the pair were first introduced, their relationship can be traced back almost 20 years.
In those days, Prince Albert, the only son of Oscar-winning actress Grace Kelly, had earned quite the reputation as a ‘Playboy Prince’ and was linked to a long list of famous, desirable women. Brooke Shields, Lisa Marie Presley, Janice Dickinson, Naomi Campbell and Bo Derek are just a handful from a portfolio of his former love interests.
But it must be said that, despite his reputation, there has never once been a suggestion that Prince Albert and Sharon’s status has been anything more than friends – and it’s clearly a bond that’s stood the test of time.
Back in 2002, both the prince and the movie star were in attendance at the amfAR event, a social highlight of the Cannes Film Festival attended by the likes of Madonna, Elton John and Brad Pitt. In among the elite, 500-person guest list were Prince Albert and Sharon, who were captured by photographers sharing an intimate conversation and a warm embrace.
Over the years, there have been several more high-profile events where Sharon and the royal have reunited. In 2007, the silver-screen siren attended a swish do in Monte Carlo for the The International Cinéma Vérité gala dinner – and happened to be seated next to the prince. Later that evening, Prince Albert whisked the elegant actress onto the dance floor, and the pair were snapped happily twirling in front of an illustrious crowd.
All these interactions pre-date Albert’s marriage to Princess Charlene, whom he wed in 2011, before they welcomed twins Jacques and Gabriella in 2014.
And in the face of his jetsetting life as a busy royal and family man, he’s been able to maintain his special bond with Sharon – and the pair were once again publicly reunited in 2020 at the Hollywood for the Global Ocean Gala. On this occasion, Prince Albert was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award – with Sharon there cheering him on. The duo once again stood side by side on the red carpet, with their close bond on display as photographers captured the Monégasque prince planting a kiss on the actress’ hand.
At their most recent joint outing, it was Albert’s turn to honour the screen beauty by presenting her with a Lifetime Achievement Award from his foundation for her tireless humanitarian efforts.
Whether it’s the hallmark of a longstanding friendship or perhaps a case of the one that got away, what’s patently undeniable is that the prince and the movie star share an enduring relationship steeped in admiration and mutual respect.
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