As the royal twins of Monaco turn ten today, here is a look at their public appearances alongside Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene so far

Ten years ago today, the Royal Family of Monaco welcomed its first twins into the world with 42 cannon shots. There were 21 for each baby: Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques.

Although Princess Gabriella was born two minutes before her brother Jacques, it is he who will lead the royal family as the future Prince of Monaco.

Born to Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene on December 10, 2014, they were delivered via caesarean section at the Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco.

Their father had chosen not to know the gender of the babies before they were born, saying, “It’s one of the beautiful surprises that life gives us.”

But Prince Albert made it clear that if a boy and a girl were born, the boy would become the royal heir, in line with the male priority of Monaco’s inheritance law.

Monaco’s royal house dates back to the 13th century, and Gabriella and Jacques were the first twins. Their birth was announced in an official statement from Monaco Palace.

It read: ‘To the Monegasque people and the residents of the Principality, I have the immense pleasure to announce that on December 10, 2014, Princess Charlene, my beloved wife, gave birth to a son and a daughter: Crown Prince Jacques, Honore, Rainier and Princess Gabriella, Therese, Marie.

“As sovereign, husband and father, I want to share this joy with you and I know you will be united in your good wishes for the Princess and me.

“At this very special time for our family and our country’s history, we are extremely grateful for all your expressions of affection and affection. Let us thank God and rejoice.”

Jacques and Gabriella have two other siblings, fathered by Albert before he was with Charlene, who are considered illegitimate.

Less than a week after the twins were born, Charlene gave her first post-birth talk.

Speaking to French magazine Paris Match, she said spending time with the twins was ‘magical’.

“What I can tell you is that they are both very active and very expressive,” she continued. “They’re beautiful, cute, I’m in love with them.”

She also talked about when the children arrived and admitted she was nervous for their health as they arrived two weeks early. “At first I was happy to hear their first cries,” she said. ‘I was obviously a bit overwhelmed with emotion.

‘Every second with them is magical. I look forward to spending more time in their presence.”

The siblings made their debut on January 7, 2015, in the arms of their parents on a balcony at the Palais Princier. Charlene smiled and waved as she held Gabriella while Albert rocked Jacques.

The twins have attended events with their parents since they were young. In November 2015, when they were less than a year old, Jacques and Gabriella accompanied their parents to protests demanding action on climate change.

The two babies sat contentedly in a stroller while Albert and Charlene interacted with protesters.

In December 2015, when the twins turned one, their parents revealed in an interview what life was like in the palace with two toddlers. Albert said Charlene had coped with motherhood ‘wonderfully’.

He added: “I’m really happy that she gets to spend as much time with them as they do.

‘I’ve never actually heard them complain. Yes, if they are hungry [they do] but they have never been noisy [except when] they are happy.’

Discussing their looks, he continued, “Several people have said that Gabriella looks more like me than Jacques… I definitely think there’s a bit of Charlene in both of them. But it is still too early to say for sure.’

Four years later, in November 2019, Charlene revealed to French magazine Point de Vue that her parenting duties were “often exhausting” but also “very stimulating in many areas.”

She then shared the “incredible affection and gentleness for each other” that the twins have, adding, “[They] talk to each other all the time.

‘Like all children, they can sometimes be a bit abrupt, even a bit harsh in their conversations, but they support each other unconditionally. If all is well, nothing and no one can stop them.’

In September, the twins appeared with their parents at the annual picnic in Monaco.

Arriving at Monaco’s Parc Princesse Antoinette, the family of four put on a stylish front as Charlene took the lead in a striking red jumpsuit. Albert wore a black blazer with gold buttons, combined with cream-colored pants. Jacques matched his father while Gabrielle wore a white dress and sandals.

However, things did not always go smoothly for the royal family. Reports of a rocky relationship between Prince Albert and Princess Charlene date back to their wedding day in 2011, when she was dubbed the ‘Runaway Bride’ by the French media for allegedly trying to flee before the ceremony.

And in 2021, Charlene spent several months in South Africa, away from her husband and children, after contracting an illness.

She returned to Monaco in November but then spent some time recovering in a Swiss health clinic before being fully reunited with her family in 2022.

On her return to the principality, Albert claimed she was ‘overwhelmed’. He told People magazine that it became “quite clear” a few hours after Charlene’s return that she was “unwell” before heading to Switzerland for further treatment.

He said the former Olympic swimmer “realized she needed help”, adding: “She was overwhelmed and could not cope with official duties, life in general or even family life.”

The prince said decisions about treatment involved intervention with family members. He recalled, “I sat her with her brothers and a sister-in-law. She had already made her decision and we just wanted her to confirm it in front of us. She wanted this.

‘She already knew it was best to rest and get some real medically framed treatment. And not in Monaco. For privacy reasons it should be somewhere outside Monaco.’

Meanwhile, he revealed that Gabriella and Jacques would ‘visit’ Charlene once they were ‘medically cleared’, saying the twins ‘knew she was tired’ and ‘not quite themselves’.

Last year, Charlene visited South Africa again for the first time since 2021.

During an interview during her trip, she revealed that she was tired of hearing rumors about problems in her marriage, and that she has no idea where they come from.

The comments come after she told a Monaco publication that she is “serene and happy” in her marriage – denying rumors emerging in German and French media that she was now “living in Switzerland” and that her marriage ” ceremonial’.

Speculation about the couple’s marriage was further fueled last year when Charlene deleted her Instagram account.

However, the mother of two shut down speculation surrounding her decision, claiming it was purely to protect her children’s privacy.

She revealed she wants to keep the twins away from the “pressures” of life in the public eye for as long as possible – although she admits they are already picking things up.

Speaking about the close siblings, she said she is “grateful” to know they will always be there for each other.