SHROUDED IN MYSTERY

Princess Charlene of Monaco spends her birthday alone in a clinic while Prince Albert juggles royal duties and their twins

- NICI DE WET

THIS time last year there were already whispers of something not being quite right. The new hairstyle she sported – a severe half-shaven pixie cut, a dramatic change from the demure bobs she’d had for years sparked plenty of speculation.

It was an act of rebellion against her husband and the institution she’d married into, some said – a sign of unhappiness, that she felt trapped in a gilded cage and wanted to express herself.

Yet she laughed off the fuss as she marked her 43rd birthday with her family in January 2021, saying she just felt like a change and wanted to do something a little more adventurous.

Who could’ve foreseen then the year that lay ahead for Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco?

And who could’ve predicted she’d herald her 44th birthday all alone in a clinic far from her family, her only messages to the outside world coming in the form of social-media posts?

As gossip continues to run riot about the whereabouts of the princess and the true nature of her illness, the palace issued a statement giving a brief update.

“The recuperation of HSH Princess Charlene is currently progressing satisfactorily and very encouragingly.”

But it seems it will be a while still before Charlene returns to her old life.

“Her recovery and follow-up dental care [ following a severe ear, nose and throat infection] are expected to take several more weeks. It’s requested that her private life and that of their children continue to be respected.”

A POIGNANT BIRTHDAY VIDEO