Jana Pittman details royal romance with Prince Albert of Monaco

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Hurdling champion Jana Pittman on coming to terms with her retirement and letting go of the elusive gold medal. CREDIT: SBS Insight

• April 11th 2017
• 13 days ago
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Jana Pittman details her date with royalty in her new autobiography.

AUSTRALIAN champion hurdler Jana Pittman has detailed her romance with Prince Albert of Monaco.

The Aussie athlete has written about her royal encounter in her new autobiography.

In an interview published ahead of the book’s release, Ms Pittman described meeting “a nice-looking gent with an American accent” on the dance floor of Monte Carlo’s biggest nightclub in 2000.

She was there for the International Association of Athletics Federation’s world gala where she picked up an award, and decided to celebrate at the club where she was approached by the man who introduced himself as Albert.

“I’d seen his face at the awards night, but in the club he was just a smoothly dressed guy with a beautiful smile and I had no idea he was a prince,” she told Woman’s Day.

“He brought me a drink, then we went to a quieter area of the club to talk.”

Hey girl ... Prince Albert II of Monaco is apparently ‘an amazing kisser’. Picture: Lionel Cironneau/APSource:AP

The then 18-year-old said she was “smitten” by the man, who was 25 years her senior, and seemed impressed that everyone the pair passed seemed to recognise him.

Ms Pittman said the Prince escorted her in his car back to her hotel where the pair arranged a date for the following evening.

It was when she received a call from her date’s secretary that she began to cotton on.

“Around lunchtime, Albert’s secretary rang up from reception and told me she had been asked to show me around the city before dinner,” Ms Pittman said.

“I literally fell back on the bed, dizzy and laughing while thinking ‘Oh my God, I’m such an idiot’. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t recognised him.

“It was the middle of the night back home, but I rang Mum and said, ‘Mum, I think I’m going on a date with the Prince of Monaco!’ Then I got nervous.”

Athlete Jana Pittman was only 18 when she says she struck up a royal romance with the Prince.Source:AP

Ms Pittman said the pair’s date began with a walk through a “beautiful aquarium” following by a trip to a bar for a dance and “sipped champagne for a few hours”.

“It was very dreamy and surreal. I felt very beautiful around him — special, elegant and very grown-up. he was charming and humorous and I thoroughly enjoyed his company,” she said.

The athlete said the pair shared a kiss at his “plush pad”, but the prince slept on the couch while she snoozed on his “beautiful bed”.

Now a mother to three, Ms Pittman said she stayed in contact with Prince for about six months, and the pair had planned to find a way to be together. But, it wasn’t to be.

“Then I dropped my phone in water and lost all my number — including his. I tried to ring the palace but of course that went nowhere,” she said. “It was very annoying because I was really keen and liked him for him. He was funny, sensitive and moral.”

Prince Albert of course married Charlene Wittstock, now Charlene, Princess of Monaco, in 2011. The pair now have two children together.

Prince Albert married Princess Charlene of Monaco 2011 in Monaco. Picture: Andreas Rentz/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images