On the occasion of the launch of the Italian edition of her book La Fêlure, Carlota Casiraghi traveled to Milan to appear as a guest on the popular program Che tempo che fa. Speaking in a fluent Italian (“it is the language of my father and my family”), the daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco spoke about her passion for literature, about her father, about her grandmother, and about how at times “they have reduced me to a glamorous image, to a dream life and privileges.” In response to this, she admitted that she would have liked to shout: “I’m not who you think I am.”
Although Carlota Casiraghi is the daughter of a Monegasque princess, she studied in France. Now a successful writer at forty, in front of the cameras of the Nove channel she spoke about the current protest movement sweeping the country, offering unexpected support to high school students, stating that they “are under excessive pressure.”
Regarding the memory of her grandmother, Grace Kelly, she said she has seen “all her films”, rating them all as “incredible.” However, Casiraghi lamented that she cannot say much more about the Hollywood star, as she never had the chance to meet her personally. But she did reveal that, according to what her mother has told her, she has inherited the temperament of the late actress: “If she says so, it’s true.”
Carlota Casiraghi also spoke about how she had to forge her own path by distancing herself from the Monaco princely family and from her status as a “daughter of” and “granddaughter of.” The young woman decided to emancipate herself by studying literature, before obtaining a master’s in philosophy and, subsequently, writing a book. “The possibility of writing what I felt represented to me a huge, extraordinary freedom,” she acknowledged during the interview.
The Philosophy of Carlota Casiraghi
During the conversation, the niece of Prince Albert II of Monaco spoke with great maturity about the emotional impact of losing her father, the Italian Stefano Casiraghi, when she was only four years old. She also referred to the origins of her passion for books and of how philosophical reflection accompanies her personal journey. And about her authentic identity she confessed without mincing words: “I don’t know who I am. I think identity is something very complex, difficult to confine into rigid categories.”
Carlota Casiraghi, during the interview.
Throughout the program, she answered questions in both Italian and French, switching between the two languages with ease. During the conversation, she spoke about the reasons that led her to become interested so early in the great existential questions. Her passion for philosophy arose from the need to understand the meaning of life. “Our greatest singularity lies precisely in what makes us creative,” she explained.
The theme of pain occupied a central place in her interview with Fabio Fazio, around the question: Can literature really ease wounds? “Books do not make suffering disappear nor do they guarantee any kind of healing. However, they can help to recognize what hurts, to bring order to sometimes confusing emotions, and to better accept certain experiences. By giving words to one’s fragilities, each person can come to see them differently,” the interviewee replied.
Help for Young Parents in Distress
Beyond promoting her book, Carlota Casiraghi also remains focused on good causes in Monaco. The latest one she has participated in is the opening of a free reception space intended for children from zero to three years old, their parents and prospective parents. The aim of this space, presented as “a welcoming refuge,” is to support young parents and break the isolation of families in the Principality.
Behind this initiative is a trio of women. First, Carine Carbonne, a Monaco midwife, who highlighted the needs of young parents. Next, Carlota Casiraghi herself, who propelled the project, and finally, Princess Caroline, who, as honorary president of the Jeune J’écoute association, gave the finishing touch.
