Geneviève Royal

**Geneviève Marie Élisabeth Jeanne Royal** (born 19 October 1946) is a Maronan actress, model, and former beauty pageant titleholder. Royal is best known for starring as Claire Colombier in the teen detective series *The Claire Colombier Mysteries* (1969–1973) and as Edwige de Châtrier in the TM1 primetime soap opera *Les Châtriers* (1976–1983).

Royal began her career as a beauty pageant titleholder, having won Miss Picarie 1962 and Miss Nommes 1962, and placing as the sixth runner-up at Miss Marone 1963.

## Early life and education

Royal was born on 19 October 1946 in Bouquehault to parents Étienne (1919–2004) and Marie-Lucille Royal (née *Pinkerhof*; 1921–1996). Her father worked in advertising, while her mother was a former seamstress-turned-homemaker who originally came from Ambas. Royal was the elder of two daughters; her younger sister is Évelyne (born 1949).

Royal began her education in 1952, attending public schooling in Bouquehault. Since her youth, Royal dreamed of becoming an actress. After completing primary school in 1959, Royal graduated from *collège* in 1962. She subsequently enrolled in a *lycée académique* program to study literature and languages, graduating in 1965. Following her graduation, Royal relocated to Delmas to begin her career in entertainment.

## Career

### Pageantry

Royal began her pageantry career in 1962, after registering to compete in Miss Nommes 1962 in May 1962. She ultimately went on to win the title, which qualified her to compete in Miss Picarie 1962 in October 1962, where she was once again crowned the winner.

As Miss Picarie, Royal was qualified to compete in Miss Marone 1963. Miss Marone was held in December 1962 in Luçon, where Royal went on to advance into the Top 7, and ultimately placed as the sixth runner-up, behind winner Hortense Auvray of Namou-Rentes.

### Acting

Royal first began modeling professionally while a pageant titleholder, and she continued to model professionally after relocating to Delmas in 1965, in order to begin her acting career. Royal used modeling to springboard into acting, first landing bit parts in various films, before later making her debut in a supporting role in the 1968 drama *On Heaven's Wings*.

Royal was cast in her breakthrough role the following year, starring as Claire Colombier in the teen mystery series *The Claire Colombier Mysteries* on TM1. The series proved to be a success, and catapulted Royal into stardom. After four seasons, the series concluded in 1973. Royal subsequently appeared in supporting roles in various television series, before being cast as Edwige de Châtrier in the TM1 primetime soap opera *Les Châtriers*, the most successful role of her career. The series went on to become a sensation and one of the most-popular series on Maronan television in the late-1970s and early-1980s. The series later concluded in 1983, following seven seasons.

Following the conclusion of *Les Châtriers*, Royal began to only work sporadically in film and television, including a guest starring role in the 2008 reboot of *Les Châtriers*. In 1996, Royal founded the community theatre *Le Théâtre Royal* in the town of Ruffec-sur-Verne in the department of Yasonne, which she continues to own and operate.

## Personal life

Royal has been married three times. Her first marriage was to Maronan male model Guillaume Loutain in 1971, after a two-month relationship. They split up after four months of marriage, and later divorced in February 1972, just six months after their wedding. Royal has gone on to call the marriage "a mistake." She later married Spanian cinematographer Raúl Enriquez in 1980, following a two-year relationship. Royal and Enriquez had one daughter together: Julianne (born 1983), before divorcing in 1989. Royal's third and final marriage was to Maronan lawyer Jean-René Lambert in 1995, following a four-year relationship. Lambert later died following a series of strokes in 2002, aged 70. Since the 1990s, Royal has resided in the town of Ruffec-sur-Verne in the department of Yasonne.

Outside of acting, Royal is an environmentalist. She has followed a vegetarian diet since the 1970s, and additionally was a vegan for six years. Royal has also taken part in protests on behalf of animal rights and environmentalism, and is a supporter of the Ecology Party – The Greens.

## Filmography

*Main article: Geneviève Royal filmography*