WELCOME TO THE PALACE!

YOU’s Nici de Wet was invited to Monaco where Princess Charlene gave her most candid interview yet.

IT’S nearly bedtime for the twins and they’re clearly tired but their mother is the epitome of cool, calm and collected, gliding gracefully around her recently renovated office in the Prince’s Palace in Monaco.

Not even discovering that one of the two family Chihuahuas has peed on the new rug ruffles her elegant feathers.

“Ah, it’s okay – come here, Harley,” Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco says, laughing as she flops down on one of the plush white velvet sofas.

Dogs and kids pile onto the cushions next to her, all vying for her attention and Charlene handles it all like the serene highness she is.

Dressed in a chic plum-coloured wool suit and nude Louis Vuitton heels, she exudes grace and glamour – but behind the chic exterior she’s down-to-earth and friendly, insisting we call her “Charlene” as she settles down to chat.

The 41-year-old Benoni- raised beauty has invited us into the heart of her home because, as she puts it, “It was about time I personally invited YOU to visit me.”

And in one of her most candid interviews ever, Charlene opens up about her children, her life in Monaco and her determination to make a difference. She also reveals that 2019 was a tough year for her, filled with heartache and worry.

“I’m privileged to have this life but I do miss my family and friends in South Africa and I do get sad that I can’t always be there for them.”

She recently lost two close friends back home, she says. “They died within 10 days of each other. It was incredibly painful.”

And then her father, Michael Wittstock (73), had some health issues that resulted in him having a back operation.