It seems that Prince George and Princess Charlotte have got some serious competition for their unofficial title as the world’s sweetest royal duo, in the form of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco’s two-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
For Monaco’s royals, the etiquette surrounding social media appears somewhat looser than the unwritten rules by which our own royal family appears to abide. So, while you’ll never see Kate Middleton with a public Instagram (sigh), let alone uploading low-key family snaps to her account, the rules are different for Princess Charlene, who’s not averse to mixing things up on her official account @hshprincesscharlene (that’s Her Serene Highness, FYI), sharing candid, off-duty photos of her two young children alongside the usual press photos from public engagements.
Yesterday, the Princess chose to share a particularly sweet milestone for the twins: their first ever haircut. In the ‘after’ photos, both Jacques and Gabriella can be seen (spoiler alert) with their freshly cropped styles. Jacques’ hair in particular is markedly shorter: the little Prince previously sported a ponytail. What’s perhaps the sweetest thing about the photoset is the way in which the siblings appear to pause and admire the other’s new ‘do, before hugging it out in the salon. Social media gold.
Prince Jacques (full title: Jacques, Hereditary Prince of Monaco and Marquis of Baux) and Princess Gabriella (full title: Princess Gabriella of Monaco, Countess of Carlades) were born on 10th December 2014, meaning they’re fast approaching their third birthday. Though Gabriella is the elder of the twins, the Monegasque laws of succession prioritise the male heir, making Jacques the heir apparent to the throne.
When asked by People magazine earlier this year whether a trip to the UK – and a meet-and-greet with Prince George and Princess Charlotte – might soon be on the cards, Prince Albert answered: ‘Are you asking me about a royal play date with Will and Kate’s kids?’
‘Maybe, but a state visit with the twins to any country, not just the UK, is a few years off.'
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