Published in Jul-Aug 2011 NCGR Memberletter

LEAVE IT TO A MAN WITH SAGITTARIUS on his 7th house cusp to marry what some in the press have called a Runaway Bride. According to rumors listed on some internet news sources, Prince Alberts wife (then fiancee), Charlene Wittstock, tried to run away, not once but three times in the weeks before they exchanged vows. The 53-year-old prince and his 33-year-old bride deny the story, but French newspapers stand by their sources and claim that it is all true. Additionally, there have also been reports that the bride and groom slept in different hotels during their South Africa honeymoon. This article will delineate Prince Alberts natal chart along with progressions, transits and eclipses surrounding his long-awaited, scandal-ridden marriage which took place on July 1, 2011.

Prince Albert II of Monaco was born on March 14, 1958, Monte Carlo, Monaco, 10:50 AM (see chart on p. 17). He has the majority of planets in the southern and western hemispheres describing his life in the public eye and heavily influenced by others. He has the Sun in the sensitive, artistic, sea-loving sign of Pisces and his Moon in the practical, executive sign of Capricorn.

Prince Albert waited until he was 53 years old before finally proposing to someone. Why the delay? For one thing, he has Saturn in his 7th house which made him very careful in selecting a partner. Also Saturn, the establishment, weighed heavily on his conscience as many people in Monaco wanted him to marry and have a male heir. Prince Alberts Saturn is an incredibly powerful weight on his chart; it is the only angular planet, in close applying square to his Sun, conjoins descendant (which means it opposes his ascendant), and disposits his Capricorn Moon and Aquarius Midheaven. According to the New York Times, Upon the couples engagement . . .Prince Albert told the newspaper Nice-Matin, I know the Monagasque population was waiting for this moment. Saturn rules Alberts ninth house of foreign influences and placed in his 7th indicates that he would marry a foreigner.

Princess Graces only son has acknowledged fathering two children out of wedlock. According to the UK Daily Mail, he has an illegitimate six-year-old son called Alexandre through a Togolese former air hostess called Nicole Coste, and a 19-year-old daughter called Jazmin with Tamara Rotolo, an American estate agent. Although Albert has the barren sign of Virgo on his fifth house cusp, he also has Jupiter in Honor of Triplicity in the fruitful sign of Scorpio conjunct Neptune planet of mystery, indicating multiple children born in secrecy. This strong Jupiter as ruler of the 7th house also meant that he would marry a wife of high caliber, and Saturn in the 7th denotes a disciplined yet somewhat insecure bride. His new wife, Charlene Wittstock, is a former Olympic swimmer who still trains with her coach three times a week. With Saturn in Sagittarius, she was required to convert to Catholicism in order to marry Prince Albert. In a return to the past, she also happens to bear a striking resemblance to the late Princess Grace.

Charlene felt the Saturnian influence early on in their relationship when she moved to Monaco. According to www.vogue. com, it was a testing time. Lacking any official status and unable to speak French, Charlene lived alone in a small apartment with few friends to support her; she was thousands of miles from home...It was sometimes overwhelming, she recalls of the solitude and jealousies she suffered as Prince Alberts girlfriend.

Before Prince Rainiers death in 2005, he changed the laws in Monaco so that no illegitimate child could lay claim to the throne or the principality. This meant that the only way that any of Alberts children could be considered part of the royal family was by his marrying and having legitimate children. This pressured (Saturn) Prince Albert to stop fooling around since he had acknowledged publicly that he had fathered children and settle down after the death (Saturn) of his father.

His Saturn is in its own Face shows his avoidance and fear of duty, establishment, and all things Saturn. (The effect of a planet in its own Face is described in Lee Lehman, Essential Dignities, West Chester: Whitford Press, 1989.) So this also contributed to the long delay in his settling down with this powerful Saturn.

Engagement

According to www.cbsnews.com, Prince Albert announced his engagement to Charlene Wittstock on June 23rd 2010. Using secondary progressions, we see that progressed Jupiter has retrograded to 24 deg Libra in the 5th house, where it sextiles his natal Saturn, as well as his progressed Saturn at 24 deg Sagittarius in the 7th house. Since these planets are in both 5th and 7th houses, there is a strong indication of a love marriage and marriage for children. Jupiter is the planet of luck and expansion, so it is a wonderful aspect to become engaged under. Jupiter-Saturn aspects promise a successful venture when anything begins under their combined influence. They are the outermost planets in traditional astrology so their influence is more powerful than any of the other planets. At the same time transit Jupiter at 1 deg Aries trines his progressed ascendant at 2deg Leo, while the progressed Ascendant squares natal Jupiter, ruler of the 7th house. transiting Saturn at 28 deg Virgo sat in the 5th house of love and children, separating from a square to natal Saturn and opposition to natal Sun, indicating the pressure that he was under to marry in order to obtain more power in the royal family.

Wedding

Prince Alberts wedding date was not as auspicious as the engagement. He chose to marry on a solar eclipse on July 1, 2011 at approximately 5:00 PM in Monaco. This solar partial eclipse occurred that morning at 9 deg Cancer, and was one of three eclipses (the solar partial on June 1, total lunar on June 15, and solar partial on July 1) that occurred in the month leading up to his wedding. With all of these eclipses along with the Grand Square formed with Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto, it is no surprise to astrologers that unexpected events would occur around the time of this royal wedding. Solar eclipses are very inauspicious for royals as the Sun, natural ruler of kings, princes, and leaders is occulted. Fortunately the solar eclipse does not make a major aspect to any planets or points in his chart although powerfully placed in the first house.

June 15 Lunar Eclipse

Lunar eclipses usually signify something significant concerning relationships. On June 15, 2011, two weeks before his wedding, the total Lunar Eclipse at 24 deg Sagittarius 22 min and the North Node at 23 deg Sagittarius 31 min conjoined Alberts descendant as well as his powerful Saturn in the 7th house. It was around this time that his bride, Charlene Wittstock, allegedly discovered his secret love affairs and attempted to flee Europe. According to some sources, she was detained at an airport in Nice, France until she could be persuaded back to Monaco. She was under Alberts Saturn in her life now as she was to become his wife, she could not escape her duties. Fortunately, she did decide to return and marry him. So what does their future look like? Well, with responsible Saturn in Alberts house of matrimony, he will take the vows seriously and will be with her til death do them part. He may feel burdened or take on more responsibilities and discipline. With Sagittarius on the cusp of his 7th house, they would enjoy traveling together, taking part in foreign projects of all kinds, higher education, sports, and animals. As long as they allow each other some freedom (Sagittarius) while sharing the burdens of their union, their marriage will be long, happy, and successful.

LIZ HOULE, B.A., NCGR-PAA, Level III, has been an astrologer for over 20 years, practices Eastern and Western Astrology, and is a member of NCGR. A certified web developer since 1999, she builds and maintains several astrology-related websites. She offers Daily Texted Horoscopes on her own website: www.answersinthesky.com. Liz can be contacted at liz@answersinthesky.com.