The investigation by the newspaper Le Monde
has just dropped a bomb on the Rock
.
Over the course of four major sections, published slowly since Monday January 22, investigative journalists Gérard Davet and Fabrice Lhomme have collected numerous explosive revelations from the former property administrator of Albert II of Monaco, tarnishing the reputation of the princely family.
Claude Palmero, accused of corruption and illegal taking of interests and ousted since June 6, 2023, reveals everything he knows.
Because during his years spent in the services of his Highness, the latter had privileged access to the salons of the Palace where the darkest secrets were whispered.
Secrets that he archived in five notebooks, the contents of which are now revealed.
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The former accountant of Albert II, who filed a complaint, at the end of November 2023, against the members of the princely family to respond to their accusations, thus reveals the irregular situations of employees of the Rock, the confidential payments of the prince to his children illegitimate as well as his former mistress, the excessive spending of the princesses of Monaco and the quarrels between the latter.
According to him, Caroline of Monaco would thus hate her sister-in-law, Charlene Wittstock.
Read alsoAn endowment of 1.5 million euros per year just for Charlene: the shocking revelations of Albert of Monaco's ex-accountant
Excessive spending
It must be said that according to Claude Palmero's notebooks, Charlene of Monaco would have a heavy hand on expenses.
Le Monde
indicates that it would have received an overall annual allocation “close to 1.5 million euros” in 2023, while in 2019 it had already spent around “15 million euros, for 7.5 million endowment euros” in the space of eight years.
“HSH (
Her Serene Highness, Editor's note
) Princess Charlene wishes to buy dresses, I told her that there was no budget for that, private expense,” the former accountant wrote in his notebooks the same year.
We also read that in 2016, she requested to be paid 77,000 in cash.
“It’s less than last year, but still clearly too much,” said Claude Palmero.
Not all examples can be cited.
Caroline of Monaco is not spared, also singled out for her excessive costs.
The latter was notably called to order for expenses linked to her property in Aisne.
Claude Palmero also accuses him of having used the family inheritance, in particular jewelry and paintings.
Could this be one of the reasons why she would not get along with Prince Albert's wife?
Tensions
“To hear” the former property manager, adds
Le Monde
, the enmity between the two women would in fact be known to all members of the family.
“Caroline hates Charlène, their outbursts sometimes resonate under the gilding,” says the daily, relaying the words of Claude Palmero.
Charlene of Monaco would, for her part, “especially not want to hear about Nicole Coste”, mother of Alexandre Grimaldi Coste, the illegitimate son of Albert II of Monaco.
Over the years, the former accountant, for his part, made some enemies in high places.
Among them, the said Charlene of Monaco, who would have taken a dim view of “the financial brakes” formerly imposed by the former property administrator.
But also Princesses Caroline and Stéphanie, who would have protested against the latter's “too significant influence”.
It is often said that rivals bond through adversity.
So, perhaps these new revelations will allow the women of the Palace to reconcile...