Princess Charlene receiving ‘specialised’ care outside Monaco: source

Princess Charlene of Monaco, the wife of Prince Albert II, is receiving specialised treatment for extreme fatigue at a confidential location outside the principality, a source close to the palace told AFP on Tuesday.

The source, who asked not to be named, confirmed that Charlene was no longer in Monaco after returning to her family earlier in November following months away in South Africa.

Her absence from Monaco’s annual national day last week, the biggest annual event in the palace calendar, had fuelled new speculation about the state of the couple’s marriage and also new concern over her health.

“Princess Charlene has been away from Monaco for a little while. She has been admitted to a specialised establishment following great fatigue linked to her weakness,” the source said, without giving further details.

Prince Albert had himself told People magazine that Charlene, 43, had needed treatment outside of Monaco but did not go into details about the nature of her health problems.

“She was clearly exhausted, physically and emotionally. She was overwhelmed and couldn’t face official duties, life in general or even family life,” he told the magazine.

He added that Charlene’s return to Monaco went “pretty well” in the first few hours, but “then it became pretty evident that she was unwell”.

– ‘We miss you Mommy’ –

Albert, 63, also dismissed rumours about their marriage, saying “this has nothing to do with our relationship” and the problem was of a “different nature”.

He rejected concerns that her problems were linked to cancer, Covid or even cosmetic surgery, saying she was “suffering incredible fatigue” and had also “lost a lot of weight” after not eating well.

Charlene needed surgery in South Africa in September after collapsing as the result of complications stemming from an ear, nose and throat infection

Albert presided over the national day this weekend without Charlene but with their six-year-old twins Gabriella and Jacques both present.

The pair held handwritten messages reading “We miss you Mommy” and “We love you Mommy” that were clearly visible to cameras as they stood in front of a waving Albert from the palace balcony.

The former South African Olympic swimmer married Prince Albert in 2011, after first appearing with him at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

Initially hailed as a fairytale match for a prince long described as the world’s most eligible bachelor, rumours have dogged the couple ever since they married.

There were claims, denied by the royal palace, that Charlene had tried to vanish on the eve of the wedding.

Albert is the son of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly, an American film star who died in a car accident in 1982.