1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 465 The Dramatic Monaco Royal Family
The dinner was held in the Golden Hall in the center of the Monaco Palace.

The Monaco Palace, commonly known as the Prince's Palace, has been the official residence of the Prince of Monaco since 1297.

Located atop Monaco Rock, it is the oldest area in the Principality of Monaco and offers direct views of the Mediterranean Sea.

This palace was inhabited by the royal family for more than seven centuries.

To some extent, the Monaco royal family is the most "down-to-earth" of the many royal families in Europe.

The royal palace, where they have lived for generations, is partially open to the public as a museum during the summer, while the main courtyard of the palace has always been the venue for the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra to hold open-air concerts.

On the way to the banquet today, the group saw many tourists in the vicinity.

It didn't feel like attending a members' dinner party at all; it felt more like going to a tourist attraction to check out a trendy restaurant.

"Tonight, the royal family is hosting a dinner for media partners. Tomorrow, they'll be hosting F1 drivers and owners. I heard they also hosted several professors from Paris and London yesterday." Innes bumped into an old acquaintance as soon as he got out of the car. This person wasn't on tonight's dinner guest list and had another purpose for being there. So, the editor-in-chief, feeling a pang of nostalgia, began telling the young couple about the Monaco royal family's 'stories' on the way to the dinner. "I'm sure the central Golden Hall will be very busy this month."

Ronan raised an eyebrow and said humorously:

"It seems Monaco has also been influenced by Provence; they are such a hospitable bunch."

This party happens even more frequently than Ronan's.

At its peak, Ronan would even take two days off each week.

Do you invite people over to your house every day?
Aren't you tired?
Ines gave a knowing smile:

"This is a royal family that can't stay idle."

Ronan and Zoe exchanged a glance, even though they had both put in a lot of effort and done their homework on the Monaco royal family.

But how could they possibly know more than Ines?

We need to keep learning before it officially starts!

"What do you mean?" Ronan asked innocently.

Ines slowed her pace and tilted her chin up in a light tone:
"The Monaco royal family contributes almost half of the output of Provençal gossip magazines. Whenever those tacky newspapers and magazines run out of things to write about, they turn their pens to them, and amazingly, they always manage to find something."

Seeing Ines's 'proud' look, Ronan smiled and said:
"But those newspapers and magazines can only dig up the surface. You must know much more, right?"

“I’m not that bored, keeping an eye on them every day. That doesn’t fit the style of Michelin Magazine.” Changing the subject, Ines continued, “However, today a local tycoon tried to chat up Princess Caroline, but was glared at by the princess.”

Ronan felt a wave of fear wash over him.

so close!

If he hadn't stopped Cotillard's idea early on, Cotillard might have been turned into a story and told to others.

Women always have an uncontrollable enthusiasm for gossip, and Zoe joined in too:
"The princess has only been married to her second husband for a short time, and their relationship is very close. That wealthy businessman is really too reckless."

Princess Caroline is the eldest daughter of the royal family. Since her mother has passed away, she is the 'de facto mistress' of the royal family and is therefore particularly 'taken care of' by gossip magazines, especially regarding her first marriage which ended a few years ago.

The public knew more about her first husband than the princess herself did.

The gossip magazine not only revealed that he had a past relationship with the current Iranian princess, but also that three days before their wedding, this playboy from Paris had not yet paid off his debts and needed his "father-in-law," Princess Caroline's father, Prince Rainier III, to clean up his mess.

Of course, Prince Rainier III was also 'scarred' in this marriage, as he had to come out and acknowledge it because the media extensively reported on the princess's divorce.

This marks the first time the Monaco royal family has publicly acknowledged a divorce among its members; previously, divorce had been considered taboo.

Because of her previous failed marriage, which was frequently exposed to the public, Princess Caroline is extremely protective of this husband.

“If only Prince Albert could learn from his sister,” Ines said with a gloomy face. “This morning, he was carried home by his bodyguards from the nightclub again.”

Ronan and Zoe both gasped.

Prince Albert is Monaco's only crown prince, but this prince has no love for patriotism, only for nightclubs and beautiful women.

Is it possible for a gossip magazine to publish news that could make the people of Monaco and France happy for half a day, and just casually say it out loud?

Isn't Ines worried that the two people in front of him will spread such explosive news?
Unexpectedly, Ines calmly revealed another, even more explosive piece of news:

"I don't know if he was still drunk, but in the afternoon Prince Albert actually went into the Williams team's pit area alone and was taken away by the engineers as a 'suspicious person'."

She suddenly covered her mouth and laughed twice:
"I really want to show you how Prince Rainier III would react when he hears this news."

The Monaco constitution stipulates that women have no right to inherit the throne.

Although Princess Caroline took on her mother's previous role and became Monaco's diplomatic ambassador, she still couldn't compete with her younger brother.

This playboy will be the next prince of Monaco!
After hearing two bombshell stories, Ronan was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

He touched his chest, adopting the identity of his elderly father.

The daughter is outstanding, but her marriage has been tumultuous, damaging her image.

The son is useless, yet he still has to take over the royal family, further damaging the royal image.

I'm so worried.

"Fortunately, Princess Stephanie is relatively easy to manage," Ronan sighed. "The gossip magazines haven't reported anything about her."

Ronan had a good impression of the little princess.

Because she had participated in the bidding process for the 'Lovebirds', and the generosity and professionalism shown by the other party's agent that day, Ronan naturally felt that this little princess was also a very good person.

“Don’t mention Princess Stephanie.” Ines shook her head repeatedly, rolling her eyes. “She’s planning to elope with her bodyguard.”

"Huh???" Ronan and Zoe exclaimed at the same time.

Princess?

bodyguard??
Is this some kind of melodramatic soap opera?

While surprised by the bombshell news, Ronan was also shocked by another layer of news.

How could Ines know so much about the royal family?
Can her "all-seeing eye" skill cover such a large area?

Although the Monaco Palace is frequently visited, entering the central Golden Hall still requires passing through multiple layers of security.

After the group underwent a brief but polite 'body search,' a bespectacled woman led them to the central Golden Hall.

On the way, the lady naturally gave everyone a brief introduction to the surrounding buildings and history.

"This small compartment is the royal confessional, where Rainier III often came."

"This is the room where Prince Albert keeps his F1 models."

"Princess Stephanie was once obsessed with pop music. This is her private recording studio. By the way, did you know that the princess has released a music album?"

In this situation, it was Ines who naturally answered the question, and she responded politely:
"Yes, I know. The album is called 'Ouragan,' and the music department of Michelin magazine has it in their collection."

“You have good taste,” the man said to Ines with a smile.

After the woman turned around, Ronan whispered to Zoe:

"Have you heard of it?"

To be honest, Parisians don't pay much attention to news about the Monaco royal family.

They were just a source of amusement for the people of Provence.

Ronan's understanding of the Monaco royal family was mostly gained through cramming during this period.

The little princess actually released an album?
It must be extremely popular, right?
Zoe looks thoughtful:
"No, this is the first time I've heard this news."

Ines stepped between the two and said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"That record only sold 200 copies and was taken off the shelves immediately after its release. If it had continued to circulate, it would have been a royal scandal."

Ronan and Zoe exchanged a glance.

This royal family is really hilarious!

The woman chatted with everyone the whole way, and Ines skillfully picked up on and handled every topic perfectly. However, when introducing a certain room, the guide clearly showed a 'resentful' expression.

"This is Prince Albert's playroom."

Normally, Ines should go along with what the other person is saying, because it's obvious there's a 'story' going on here.

However, after thinking for a few seconds, Ines had no idea why the person leading the way was experiencing such emotional turmoil.

What happened to Prince Albert's game room?
Just as she was about to freeze, another voice appeared at the perfect moment, ending the awkward silence.

Ronan spoke with the same 'resentful' tone as the guide:
"Damn the Soviet Minister of Culture!"

Ines and Zoe were both taken aback.

what?
The Soviet Union?
Only when the guide turned back, speaking to Ronan in a tone of 'shared hatred', did he say:

"That's outrageous! How could they say such things about us?"

"Exactly! How could you say that about you!" Ronan looked even angrier than the man, his lips pursed.

"Humph!"

"Humph!"

The two exchanged a string of coded messages that were difficult to decipher, leaving Zoe of Ines completely bewildered.

Taking advantage of the other party's inattention, Ines asked Ronan:
What happened to that house?

Ronan lowered his voice and explained to the two ladies:
"When the Soviet Minister of Culture visited this year, due to a shortage of guest rooms in the palace, he was arranged to stay in a temporary bedroom converted from Prince Albert's playroom. Because there were many posters and models on the walls, they joked that they had moved into a 'children's room'."

"Is that so?" Ines's eyes widened.

Ronan replied evasively:
"You should know that men like to chat about all sorts of things when they drink, and I didn't expect to hear the right version."

Ronan, of course, would not admit that he had proactively inquired about dozens of similar 'gossips' just to prepare for today.

Ines nodded suspiciously and followed the guide ahead.

If it's called the Golden Hall, then it must contain elements related to 'gold'.

The roof is covered with Renaissance-style patterns and decorated with gold thread around it.

On the red wallpaper on the walls, there are also paintings with gold borders, each worth a lot of money.

The most outrageous thing is that there is a dark gold piano in one corner of the hall.

It is said that the prince was very fond of the piano's sound, and whenever he hosted a banquet, once the wine had been served, he would play a piece himself or invite a friend to do so.

Unfortunately, it wasn't him hosting the dinner tonight, but rather Princess Stephanie.

Royal dinners are not attended by all members of the royal family.

It would be a great honor if even one person showed up.

Moreover, even if you are in the same room as the royal family, it is difficult to have any opportunities for contact. For example, today, the little princess was always within the protection of bodyguards and never approached the guests.

Ines arranged this event merely to give Ronan and Zoe a boost in prestige; he never intended for them to actually have any connection with the royal family.

Tonight, the young couple is nicknamed 'invisible'.

The real protagonists are those international superstars.

Princess Grace, wife of Prince Rainier III and mother of Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Stephanie, was a famous American movie star who starred in many well-known films of that era and won an Academy Award for Best Actress in the 1950s.

It can be said that Princess Grace's marriage to the royal family brought the Monaco royal family into the world's spotlight to the greatest extent possible. Unfortunately, this woman, known as the most beautiful princess, died in a car accident in 1982.

However, due to Princess Grace's status, the Monaco royal family has always maintained a close relationship with international superstars. For example, Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale, among other stars, will be present at tomorrow's Monaco Grand Prix main event, and they came straight to the dinner tonight after landing.

With so many dazzling stars present, Ronan and Zoe were obviously invisible, so invisible they couldn't be more invisible.

Bringing Ronan and Zoe here is Ines's victory for today, she comforted the two of them.

"Relax, there are so many people, no one will pay attention to you. There will be a photo session later, and I have already made arrangements to take more photos of you, especially the ones with the celebrities."

After saying that, she got up and left the two nobodys to go find the dazzling international movie star.

Nobody will notice you. That's not why the young couple came here today.

Without any preamble, Zoe looked straight ahead and asked:
"You first, me first?"

Ronan, without even looking up, said:
"You go first. Mine needs a trigger; I can't start anytime, anywhere."

Zoe picked up her bag, got up, and went to the bathroom.
"Okay, I'll go first."

Princess Stephanie is not in a good mood today.

Because during today's qualifying race, I was severely scolded by my father for being "dressed provocatively" and "inappropriately."

"After Mom passed away, Dad only wore black and white clothes. But will I have to live like this for the rest of my life?" the little princess murmured, her head throbbing with worry.

“What’s even more infuriating is that he actually said I was disrespecting my deceased mother! God, how could I disrespect my mother?” she asked her bodyguard. “Al-Hilal, how do you think I can prove that I care about my deceased mother?”

The bodyguard named Al-Hilal thought for a moment and then offered a suggestion:

"Perhaps we could do something to commemorate the princess?"

"For example?" the little princess asked.

"for example--"

As soon as the bodyguard spoke, the little princess reflexively sat up straighter.

She saw a female guest dressed entirely in white walk past her.

Since the prince usually wears either all black or all white, the little princess developed PTSD from seeing him dressed like this.

However, upon seeing that the person was a beautiful woman, she gradually relaxed, but couldn't help but glance at her a few more times, and complained:

"Why are there so many people who like to wear all white!"

Suddenly, she noticed something even stranger.

There was even a white flower hanging on the girl's chest.

That's a combination that usually appears to commemorate someone.

However, apart from that, the girl's other outfits all exuded fashion and avant-garde style.

The little princess said to her bodyguard:

"Go ask her why she's wearing a white flower on her chest."

About half a minute later, the bodyguard returned with a complicated expression to report:

"The person said that this month marks the fifth anniversary of the princess's death, so she wore the white rose that the princess loved most."

The little princess was taken aback, and remained stunned for a full two seconds before speaking:
"Go and call her here."

As the person approached, the princess suddenly frowned and took a few deep sniffs.

"It's my mother's favorite perfume."

Zoe, who was approaching Princess Stephanie, flashed a bright smile.

It works!

All those days of hard work paid off!
Ronan, can you work harder than me?

(This paragraph was added after publication. The system only calculates the fee based on the word count "4483" at the time of publication, so this paragraph will not increase the subscription cost. Please rest assured. There was one change in the previous text. When auctioning the lovebirds, I wrote that it was the commissioner of Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco. That was a huge mistake. Princess Grace Kelly passed away in 82. The previous text has been corrected to Princess Stephanie's commissioner. Sorry.)

(End of this chapter)