Princess Charlene of Monaco might have described 2019 as an “incredibly painful year”, explaining how it was hard to smile at times, but it seems that 2020 was not much better, with blow after blow hitting her and the royal family. With limited social contact because of the coronavirus pandemic, health scares and massive marriage troubles, this year has brought many a dark day to Charlene. Here’s why the South African-born princess and former Olympic swimmer is ready to kick 2020 out the door and dive into 2021. The corgis and the crown: the queen’s most faithful companions Another paternity blow Prince Albert of Monaco is due in court in February 2021 after being hit with another paternity scandal – this time by a Brazilian woman. The woman claims she had an affair with the prince while he was dating Charlene and that the two had a daughter, who is now 15. The palace has denied the allegations, calling them a “hoax”. Albert has previously been embroiled in paternity claims and supports two children whom he fathered . Marriage on the line? The latest paternity claim has resulted in escalated speculation about the state of the royal marriage with old rumours re-emerging. Just before they got married, there were rumours Charlene had “run away” and tried to escape her man. On her wedding day, she was very teary while Albert looked on, unemotional. The continued paternity scandals are said to have rocked their relationship, with this latest one perhaps being the final nail in their marriage. Done with diamonds – modern engagement rings are all about colour The big hair change Just after news of the paternity claims went viral, Charlene was spotted with an unconventional new hairstyle. The princess, who normally wears her blonde hair short, debuted a new punk look, with one side of her head shaved. The new ‘do raised eyebrows, with many pundits calling it a show of defiance towards the palace in changing her normal demure look. Covid positive The prince of Monaco was the first head of state globally to contract the coronavirus. He was forced to self-isolate from his wife and children. Albert recently spoke about his experience, explaining that he suffered from extreme fatigue two or three times a week for months after he first contracted the virus. Limited family time View this post on Instagram A post shared by HSH Princess Charlene (@hshprincesscharlene) Why Monaco's Princess Alexandra is high fashion’s newest muse Charlene has previously spoken of how much she misses South Africa and her family. The coronavirus pandemic and global restrictions on travel made it even tougher to see her family, no doubt affecting her mental state. The ‘sad princess’ tag remains The leggy blonde has notoriously received the nickname “sad princess” for her stoic look. She has lived up to the tag, getting renewed criticism this year for her lack of warmth. She spoke out about the nickname in 2019, insisting that people often don’t know what is going on behind the scenes. She said that year hit her hard after two close friends died within 10 days of each other and her father underwent surgery. Downscaled Christmas View this post on Instagram A post shared by HSH Princess Charlene (@hshprincesscharlene) Renewed lockdown regulations worldwide meant a very different Christmas in 2020. Prince Albert admitted it would be the same for the royal family, saying they would not be travelling and would see little of friends or family. He said it would be a “different kind of Christmas” and that there wouldn’t be the traditional big gathering. Want more stories like this? Sign up here . Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter .