Princess Charlene of Monaco “almost died” in South Africa after undergoing multiple surgeries and losing a worrying amount of weight, sources exclusively told Page Six.
Friends are concerned that the Monaco royal family has been underplaying the seriousness of her condition after Prince Albert gave an interview last week claiming she had gone into rehab upon her return to the principality.
“It is unfair that she is being portrayed as having some kind of mental or emotional issue,” one source said. “We don’t know why the palace is downplaying that she almost died in South Africa.”
The source noted that Princess Charlene, 43, had a severe ear, nose and throat infection, which resulted in “severe sinus and swallowing issues stemming back from an earlier surgery.”
“She has not been able to eat solid food in over six months because of all the surgeries she has since gone through,” the source said. “She has only been able to take in liquids through a straw, so she lost nearly half her body weight.”
According to our source, Princess Charlene is “definitely not losing her mind, or suffering from severe mental health issues.”
“She is exhausted by six months of surgeries and an inability to eat properly as a result of it,” the source said. “And she desperately missed her children and her husband while she was stuck in South Africa, because she couldn’t travel home.”
Concern over Princess Charlene’s worrying weight loss reignited after she posted a photo of herself appearing thin and frail to Instagram on Oct. 2, followed by the announcement that she was pulling out of an official event on Nov. 19 due to “profound general fatigue.”
Her husband, Prince Albert, then claimed to People magazine that she had been admitted to a “treatment facility” outside of Monaco after it became “evident she was unwell” within hours of her return to Monaco following 10 months in South Africa. The royal, 63, said she’ll remain there for several weeks.
Prince Albert alleged that her current state was the result of “several factors which are private matters.”
“She was clearly exhausted, physically and emotionally,” he added. “She was overwhelmed and couldn’t face official duties, life in general or even family life.”
Princess Charlene’s friends insist she was stuck in South Africa since early May due to an ear, nose and throat infection which necessitated a number of corrective surgeries over six months.
“Obviously there were consequences of her different surgeries and the procedures she underwent in the last few months,” Albert explained to People. “That certainly was a factor, but at this point I prefer not to comment further.”
He continued, “I can say she was suffering incredible fatigue. She hadn’t slept well in a number of days and she wasn’t eating at all well. She has lost a lot of weight, which made her vulnerable to other potential ailments. A cold or the flu or God help us, COVID.”
Charlene’s long absence from Monaco caused her to miss her 10th wedding anniversary and fueled reports of a rift in her marriage with Albert, rumors that he allegedly cheated – which he denies – as well as wild speculation about her health. These reports have resurfaced after she was admitted to the unknown treatment facility.
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