Children of royals may be used to the finest toys and most distinguished spoils available – but the Prince and Princess of Monaco’s twins showed they were just like normal kids when they donned Labubu and Roblox merch for the first day back to school.
The ten-year-old pupils beamed in social media snaps as they kicked off the academic year, accessorising their uniforms with a personal twist.
Starting ️another year at the prestigious Institution François D’assise-Nicolas Barré, the siblings beamed as they held hands while posing for the portrait.
Princess Gabriella in one picture brandished a baby blue bag, adorned with the cartoon character Cinnamoroll – of the famous Japanese entertainment company Sanrio, most famous for creating Hello Kitty.
Fitted with illustrations, pockets aplenty and badges, it was also accompanied by a clipped on Labubu – a seemingly unassuming collectible made by Chinese toy company Pop Mart that has been sending even A-lister shoppers into a frenzy.
The trinkets, which originated in Hong Kong, are plush, furry little dolls that are described as ‘elvish creatures,’ with big teeth and elf-like ears, and can go for up to £94 on the website, excluding opulent special editions which can reach into the hundreds.
Meanwhile the resale value on the figurines has been extortionate, with a life-size version having gone for a whopping £127,000 at an auction this summer.
Elsewhere, Prince Jacques had a more simple satchel with two main pockets and a geometric pattern.
Children of royals may be used to the finest toys and most distinguished spoils available – but the Prince and Princess of Monaco’s twins showed they were just like normal kids when they donned Labubu and Roblox merch for the first day back to school
Also pertinent was the Roblox branding, said to be the biggest gaming website in the UK among users aged eight to 12.
In an Instagram caption, the royals congratulated the children on resuming their studies.
‘A new school year full of discoveries, friendships and adventures awaits them,’ it read.
‘The Family wishes all the students of the Principality a very nice start to school! A new academic year full of discoveries, friendships, and adventures awaits them.’
The kids have been attending the school since 2021, according Monaco Life.
It comes as, in June, Princess Charlene and her children pulled out of an official trip to Japan due to ‘current events’ in the Middle East.
Charlene, 47, Princess Gabriella, and Prince Jacques, both ten, were expected to fly for World Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, an event sharing technologies to improve future societies.
The palace said today via Hola: ‘In light of current events taking place in the Middle East, this has led to the decision that H.S.H. Princess Charlene and the Princely children would not be participating in this trip.’
The ten-year-old pupils beamed in social media snaps as they kicked off the academic year, accessorising their uniforms with a personal twist. Pictured with their parents
Princess Charlene of Monaco earlier this summer pulled out of an official trip to Japan with her husband Prince Albert (seen in Monaco in June)
However, 67-year-old Prince Albert still carried out the planned engagements in Japan.
Instead of travelling with his immediate family, he was joined by his younger sister, Princess Stephanie, and her children, Louis Ducruet, Pauline Ducruet and Camille Gottlieb, and her daughter in-law Marie Ducruet.
In the statement, Princess Charlene expressed her gratitude: ‘H.S.H. Princess Charlene wishes to express her sincere thanks to the teams of the Monaco Pavilion, as well as to the partners and hosts who were to welcome her in Japan, for their understanding and ongoing commitment.’
Princess Charlene has kept a relatively low profile over the summer, only stepping out for a handful of public engagements alongside her husband.
In recent months, palace sources have also claimed the Princess was seeking solace in Brigitte Macron following explosive claims made by Claude Palmero, the Palace’s former money man.
French newspaper Le Monde published excerpts from a police interview with 68-year-old Palmero, former financial adviser to the Palace of Monaco, who was arrested by Monegasque officials last September and released without charge.
Included in Palmero’s statements were claims he had prepared a ‘bachelor pad’ for Prince Albert in 2012 – a year after he married Charlene.
The Prince’s former confidant claimed he had been ‘commissioned’ to find his boss ‘a discreet pied-á-terre in complete confidentiality’.
Charlene and her twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques decided against travelling to Japan amid ‘current events’ in the Middle East (seen together with Albert during army parade in November, 2024)
Pictured: Monaco’s Royal Family waiting for the arrival of France’s President for a two-day state visit at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco earlier this summer
Princess Charlene continues to be thrust into the spotlight following claims her husband Prince Albert was seeking out a bachelor pad just months after their wedding in 2011 (seen in Monaco earlier this month)
In 2017, he was also allegedly asked to ‘make sure the property was ready’ for the Prince to go there. Palmero also claimed that Albert had listed him as the official tenant to conceal his true motives.
Palmero, 68, looked after the family’s money, including their investments, properties and the main palace, from 2001 to 2023, just as his father, André, had done for Prince Rainier III of Monaco two decades before him.
However, he was sacked by Albert in 2023 after being targeted by a mysterious anti-corruption website. A few months later, French newspaper Le Monde published Palmero’s ‘secret notebooks’, which claimed to detail reckless spending by the Royal Family, with a particular spotlight on Charlene.
In light of the explosive claims, the Daily Mail’s Alison Boshoff reported that the Princess was bonding with the wife of French president Emmanuel.
‘Both are high profile women who are regularly caught up in unpleasant situations,’ a senior Palace source in Monte Carlo told the Daily Mail.
‘They accordingly had much to discuss, and were very glad to be able to share their experiences. They gave each other advice, while enjoying a very happy time together.’
The pair were recently seen cosying up to each other at the start of the month during a visit to the Albert II Nautical Centre for an event organised by the Princess Charlene Foundation.
They have also enjoyed a spot of tea in the gardens of the royal palace in Monaco and lunched together at the Colombe D’Or restaurant in France over the past couple of months, echoing their close-knit friendship.
Both women are in sizable age-gap relationships, as Charlene is 20 years younger than Albert, and Emmanuel is 25 years Brigitte’s junior.
