Charlotte Casiraghi, the daughter of Monaco's Princess Caroline, made an unexpected appearance on the Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa.
During her appearance, she addressed her upbringing as part of the House of Grimaldi, her writing career, and the death of her father when she was just four years old. On the latter, she noted: "It forces you to question the meaning of life."
In an emotional part of the interview, she revealed that she turned to reading and writing in the wake of her father Stefano Casiraghi's death. She also wrote several letters to her late father when she was aged 11, finding solace in a personal diary.
Stefano was part of the wealthy Casiraghi family and was also a professional powerboat racer. On 3 October 1990, while defending his offshore world title, his boat flipped following a collision with a wave that was between three and four feet high. The boat didn't come equipped with a safety harness, and he sadly passed away at the age of 30 from the accident; his death heavily altered safety regulations for offshore powerboating.
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One of Charlotte's other famous relatives was the actress Grace Kelly, but the royal seemed quick to dismiss any comparisons to her late grandmother. After being asked about her mother, Princess Caroline, noting similarities between the pair, Charlotte simply replied: "If she says so, it must be true."
She also noted during the interview that her upbringing was fairly "normal" despite growing up as part of the royal family, and she stated her pride in being part of the family. However, she also insisted that this didn't mean that her life was always perfect, noting that her public persona often didn't reflect her anxieties.
Recent sadness in Monaco's royal family
Charlotte's interview came just before the Monegasque royals were thrown into mourning following the death of Antoine de Massy, the grandson of Princess Antoinette, the elder sister of Prince Rainier III. Antoine, who was just 29 when he passed, was the second cousin of Monaco's Prince Albert.
Albert and his wife, Princess Charlene, said in a statement on Monday: "Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène were saddened to learn of the death of Antoine de Massy, aged 29, the grandson of Princess Antoinette, the elder sister of Prince Rainier III.
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"A keen tennis player, he was part of a family history closely linked to the sport in the Principality. Their Highnesses share in the grief of his family and loved ones and offer them their sincere condolences at this painful time."
Little is known about the circumstances surrounding Antoine's death at this time, though the Nice Matin reported he was found in a public garden in Monaco. According to the French outlet, an individual is being held in custody. The possibility of an accident has not been ruled out at this time.