So where is Princess Charlene of Monaco now?

Monaco National Day no-show

Prince Albert attended the Dubai Expo 2020 on November 13 to celebrate Monaco’s National Day at the world exhibition, but speculation arose when his wife was not seen with him on the trip despite her return to the principality days before. Albert instead attended the event in the United Arab Emirates with his sister Princess Stephanie and her son Louis Ducruet.

Charlene had earlier released a statement via the palace sharing that she would not be taking part in upcoming National Day festivities in Monaco as planned and would be withdrawing from public activities on a “temporary” basis.

“Having battled with poor health over the past few months, the princess is currently convalescing and will continue to do so for the coming weeks, allowing her time to recover from a state of profound general fatigue,” the palace told People magazine.

“Elsewhere in Europe”

A few days later, Albert admitted that Charlene wasn’t staying in the principality despite their very public reunion earlier in the month. He told People that having Charlene back from South Africa “went pretty well in the first few hours, and then it became pretty evident that she was unwell”.

Prince Albert said he spoke to his wife alongside her brothers and a sister-in-law, and in that conversation she agreed she needed “medically framed help”. Albert explained that the princess was spending time in a treatment facility for “exhaustion, both emotional and physical”. He added that she’d need clinical care for at least several weeks.

The royal told People magazine that she was seeking treatment “elsewhere in Europe” because she could be afforded more privacy outside Monaco. He denied speculation that her withdrawal from public engagements was due to problems in their relationship and quashed rumours that Charlene’s recovery was related to having had plastic surgery.

Charlene’s secret location

Pilar Eyre, an expert on the Spanish royals, alleged in a December Lecturas magazine column that Charlene is hiding from public view because she is scarred and disfigured from having had a facelift in Dubai. Eyre’s column pointed out that Charlene wore a face mask in the reunion snaps she took with her spouse and children.

In December, Charlene’s father, Mike Wittstock, told news site News24 that she was very “vulnerable” due to having so many medical interventions and revealed that although they are close, even he has had to stay away from his daughter so not to infect her while she makes her recovery.

Whatever the troubled princess is dealing with and recovering from, here’s hoping 2022 is a fresh and healthy start for her.