Princess Charlene takes on a new Olympic role in Monaco
Princess Charlene has been appointed vice-president of the Monegasque Olympic Committee © Michaël Alesi
A former Olympic swimmer and President of the Monaco Rugby Federation, Princess Charlène broadens her sporting commitment by taking on the vice-presidency of the Monegasque Olympic Committee, which is chaired by Prince Albert II.
The Monegasque Olympic Committee (COM) has appointed Princess Charlene as Vice-President, following a recent general assembly. The role crowns a long-standing dedication to sport, youth and Olympic values.
From the Sydney pool to the Monegasque Olympic movement
Before becoming Princess of Monaco, Charlène Wittstock was a competitive swimmer of the highest level. She represented South Africa at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, as part of the women’s 4 × 100 metres medley relay team — an athletic identity she has never set aside. “Sport taught me discipline, respect and the drive to surpass oneself. I now wish to put that experience at the service of athletes,” she said in a statement issued by the Prince’s Palace.
An already central sporting role in the Principality
Since October 2024, Princess Charlene has presided over the Monaco Rugby Federation, whose development she has driven through the Sainte-Dévote Tournament — an international U12 rugby competition she founded in 2012 — and more recently through the first Monaco Sevens tournament, held at the beginning of May.
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Within the COM, which was founded in 1907 and is today chaired by Prince Albert II, Princess Charlène will contribute to strengthening the support structures for high-level athletes and to promoting a vision of sport that is both inclusive and ethical. “It is therefore with a profound sense of commitment that I take on this role. Sport carries within it an imperative of excellence, but also a responsibility: to bring people together, to inspire and to pass something on,” she declared. A nomination that takes on particular resonance with the Los Angeles Olympic Games approaching in 2028.