When she was detained in South Africa, and in poor health, throughout the year 2021, Charlene of Monaco had found comfort and support in religion. She, who converted to Catholicism for her marriage to Prince Albert in 2011, learned sad news this week. Her close adviser and friend, Father William McCandless, to whom she was very close until 2017, has just received a prison sentence of thirty-seven months in prison.
This intimate friend with forbidden inclinations
Accused of possessing videos and photos featuring young underage boys – which earned him his removal from the Rock 7 years ago – the 57-year-old priest admitted the facts in federal court in Pennsylvania .
He had met Princess Charlene, when she arrived in the princely family, when he was vicar of the parish of Saint-Charles de Monaco, and had become her close friend after 2011, since he was even present at the maternity ward. when Charlene gave birth to her twins, Jacques and Gabriella, in 2014.
Father Bill, as he was nicknamed, attended the baptisms of princely children, he also celebrated the marriage of Charlene’s brother, Gareth Wittstock to Roisin Galvin in 2015. He was also close to Charlene’s mother, Lynette. The relationship ended in 2017, when a volunteer discovered child pornography files on his computer, report our colleagues from Closer.
A pious princess
From there, William McCandless was sent back to the United States, and replaced with Charlene by Father César Penzo, chaplain of the princely palace, who has been close to the princely family for more than sixty years, and who has become the new confidant of the Princess of Monaco. It is surely from him that she obtained the rosary and the Bible with which she had taken a picture, during her convalescence, far from Albert and the children.
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