After her admission to an inpatient treatment center for emotional and physical exhaustion, Princess Charlene de Monaco broke down.
Today, Princess Diana, 43, posted photos on Instagram of Gabriella, her twins, and Jacques celebrating 7th birthdays. God has blessed me with so many wonderful children. Truly blessed. Mother, I love you.
Snaps of the twins are shown in matching pyjamas and blowing out candles at a cake that resembles the number 7. The room is decorated with balloons as well as birthday banners. The photo appears to have been taken at a royal residence.
Prince Albert revealed last month his wife had been admitted to a European treatment facility within days of her return to Monaco following a 10-month absence in her native South Africa.
He said she is suffering from ‘exhaustion, both emotional and physical’, while friends recently told Page Six that the mother-of-two ‘almost died’ while she was in South Africa.
Proud mother: Princess Charlene of Monaco has broken her silence after being admitted to a treatment facility while suffering from ’emotional and physical exhaustion’ to wish her twins a happy birthday, sharing these beautiful family photos (one pictured)
Celebration: The snaps show the twins, dressed in matching pyjamas, blowing out candles on a cake shaped like the number ‘7’, in a room decorated with balloons and birthday banners
Touching words: The royal, 43, shared photos of her twins Gabriella and Jacques celebrating their 7th birthday today, with the caption: ‘Happy birthday my babies. Thank you God for blessing me with such wonderful children. I’m truly blessed. Love mom’
Speaking to the publication, a source described as the royal’s friend said: ‘It is unfair that she is being portrayed as having some kind of mental or emotional issue.
‘We don’t know why the palace is downplaying that she almost died in South Africa.’
The source explained the royal had a severe ear, nose and throat infection, which resulted in ‘severe sinus and swallowing issues stemming from an earlier surgery’.
The friend added: ‘She has not been able to eat solid food in over six months because of all the surgeries she has since gone through. She has only been able to take in liquids through a straw, so she lost nearly half her body weight.’
Elsewhere friends of Princess Charlene gave Tatler a rare insight into what the royal is really like, insisting that the former swimmer is a force to be reckoned with.
One source rubbished any public perception that Charlene is ‘naive’ and trapped in an unhappy marriage with Albert, saying: ‘I don’t for one second think she did not know what she was doing when she married him.’
Prince Albert announced last month that his wife, Princess Anne, had been admitted at a European facility just days after her return from South Africa. This was following a 10 month absence. In this October Instagram picture, the royal appears frail. It was taken in South Africa.
This photo was taken by Princess Charlene when she was brought back to Monaco with her family on November 8. She was then admitted to an inpatient treatment center a few days later.
Prince Albert and Gabriella are missing their mother. Prince Albert made public appearances alongside their twins of six years, Jacques & Gabriella. They held these signs for Charlene at the Monaco National Day Celebrations on November 19, 2009.
However, one cautioned that the seven-year-old mother of Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques was not one to be controlled blindly by the Monaco royal house.
“Charlene is not Princess Di.” One said. ‘She may come across as being extremely naïve, but nothing could be further from the truth. She’s very adept at hiding her intellect.
Prince Albert continues to appear with his twins, Jacques & Gabriella. They attended the Monaco National Day Celebrations and tree-planting event. The children displayed heartbreaking signs that read, “Miss You Mommy” and “Love You Mommy”.
Albert stated in interviews that he was taking on a greater role as his family deals with Charlene’s health problems.
After being removed from the classroom by Covid, Gabriella and Jacques are now homeschooled in the palace
‘For me, it’s pretty simple – my priority is my family,’ he said in an interview this month. He added, “Ofcourse, without neglecting the state affairs… It is my hope that everyone can understand this. If I have the opportunity to spend time with my family, it is without reservation.
‘This is an extremely important time in their life – the way they grow up helps them see the world.
“And if one parent is away from work or for any other reason, the other parent needs to be there. Many of my acquaintances and friends have told me how they wish that they were there to support their children at an age when they are more involved in their careers or family life. These regrets are not something I want.
Charlene was reunited with her husband, Jacques and Gabriella in Monaco this month after a 10-month absence. She had been recovering from surgery for a sinus infection that she got on a charity solo trip to South Africa.
Charlene’s sister in law Chantell Wittstock told MailOnline that the princess might not be returning home to the palace immediately and she did not intend to return to public events. However, this comment was later changed.
Charlene left after new claims that Albert was having a third child (which, if true, would have been his third) with a Brazilian woman. This happened during the same time Charlene and Albert were in a relationship.
French media greeted photographs taken of them reuniting earlier in the month with much skepticism.
Albert and their twins of six years, Prince Gabriella (aged 6), were waiting to meet her at Monte Carlo helipad. A hand-picked photographer joined the family inside Palace walls to take the “reunion” photos.
Albert stated that the Monaco family reunion last week, after Charlene had spent six months living in South Africa for six months, went initially ‘pretty smoothly’ within the first few hours. However it became clear that Charlene was not well.
According to him, the ex-Olympian had’realized she needed assistance’ and added: “She couldn’t handle official duties, family or general life.
Albert stated, “I think I’ll say that several times. However, this doesn’t have to do anything with our relationship.” Let me be very clear. These problems aren’t in our marriage; they don’t affect the husband-wife relationship. This is a completely different type of relationship.
He continued to say that her current condition was due to’several private factors’.
Albert added, “She had not slept well for several days and wasn’t eating very well. Her weight loss made her more vulnerable to potential illnesses. The flu, colds or COVID.
It is not a cancer-related issue or a personal relationship problem, he said.
He later confirmed Charlene has been admitted to a treatment facility for undisclosed medical issues, as she works through a period of ill health. Although the exact location has not been confirmed by multiple sources, it may be in Switzerland.
Rumours surrounding his marital status ‘don’t bother him too much,’ the prince said.
Doubts over the central relationship between Monaco’s monarchy and its royal family are nothing new.
MailOnline was informed by several residents who live in narrow alleyways in Monaco Ville that Charlene spent most of her time living outside of the Palace. She lived in a small two-bedroom apartment located 300m from an abandoned chocolate factory.
One source said that she saw her often outside of the Palace, but she’d usually go alone, or with a guard, and never with Albert. It was clear she preferred to be in her apartment, not the palace.
Princess Charlene met Prince Albert in 2000 during a swimming competition in Monaco and the pair married in 2011, before welcoming twins Gabriella and Jacques in 2014.
She was born in Rhodesia, a colonized state of Southern Africa that had never been reunified by the British.
She had a successful swimming career and went on to win three gold medals and a silver medal at the 1999 All Africa Games in Johannesburg, as well as representing South Africa at the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games and winning a silver medal in the 4 × 100 m medley relay in the latter competition.
They have made many headlines for their marriage over the years. In fact, last year saw the birth of a third paternity suit.
Charlene soon after shaved her half-head in style like a punk rocker.
It was seen as the first sign that a crisis is worsening and could lead to a multimillion-pound divorce.
Charlene fled South Africa in a month following the revelation that Albert had filed another paternity suit last December.
An anonymous Brazilian woman claimed that her 15 year-old daughter, who is not allowed to be identified because of legal reasons was born out of an affair in which she was involved with Albert.
Princess Charlene, whose fragile appearance has raised concerns, shared controversial photos earlier in the year of her and her husband hugging in South Africa.
Charlene and Albert were not engaged yet, although they knew each other for 4 years following their meeting in Monaco at a gala of swimming in 2000.
Albert was to be questioned by lawyers for his claim. However, Albert’s own counsel dismissed the matter as a hoax.
Both parties are not commenting now, which suggests that a generous settlement might have been reached as was the case with Albert’s former love children.
Jazmin Grace Grildi (now 29) and Alexandre Coste (17), are the results of Albert’s affair with an American agent for estates. Alexandre Coste was 17 when Alexandre’s mother is a former Togolese airline hostess.
In return for large financial settlements, both children were taken out of Monaco’s succession line.