Monaco's Albert, Charlene Welcome Twins

Girl born first, but the boy will rule
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 10, 2014 1:14 PM CST
Monaco's Albert, Charlene Welcome Twins
In this Nov. 19, 2014 file photo, Prince Albert II of Monaco kisses wife Princess Charlene on the balcony of the Monaco palace.   (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File)

Brace yourself, planet Earth: There's been a royal birth. Not that one. Rather, the blessed and royal event has taken place in Monaco, where Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene have today welcomed twins, a boy named Jacques Honore Rainier and a girl named Gabriella Therese Marie, reports the AP. There's a little drama tied to their birth: While Gabriella was born first, it is Jacques who will be the future ruler of Monaco, reflecting what the AP calls "the male priority of Monaco's laws of succession."

Cannon fire greeted their birth; they're the first twins born to the principality's royal family since Monaco was founded in the 13th century. "They are awaited like the messiah," one resident said ahead of their birth. "Everyone is talking only about that." Albert, 56, has two older children who were born out of wedlock and are thus ineligible for the throne; the twins are the first children for Charlene, 36. In case you've forgotten, Charlene tried to flee her wedding to Albert three times, and when that didn't work, they went on the honeymoon from hell. (More Charlene Wittstock stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X