Barely a month after returning to Monaco after spending almost a year in her native South Africa, Princess Charlene has been moved to an undisclosed location.
The European press were caught off guard when it was announced she would miss Monaco’s National Day celebrations.
"Due to this situation, the Princely Couple regrets to announce that Princess Charlene will be unable to attend this year's National Day celebrations,“ an official statement read.
A day later, the palace updated its statement, saying the princess “will rest for several weeks and avoid public duties, including the principality's national day celebrations, while she recovers from ill health”.
The palace added that Charlene would convalesce in a “secret location” and that she would only resume her public duties once her health allowed it, AFP reported.
The princess, who returned home after spending several months in KwaZulu-Natal due to complications from an ear, nose and throat infection, shared a picture of her homecoming on Instagram.
In the picture, she is seen cuddling twins Jacques and Gabriella while holding onto Prince Albert. After being away from her family for such a long time, it must have been an emotional time for all.
Yet, nothing about the photo looks genuine - it looks almost staged.
And yet, since being moved to a secret location, many have been speculating the reason for doing so. The state of the couple’s marriage has been a talking point, resulting in Prince Albert having to defend the decision.
“She is better but she still needs rest and peace,' the Daily Mail quoted him while chatting to Monaco-Matin. ”She is not in the Principality but we will be able to visit her very soon.“
Days after her arrival, Princess Charlene's sister-in-law, Chantell Wittstock, told MailOnline she may not be returning to the palace and did not plan to immediately return to public engagements. Wittstock later retracted her comment.
Interestingly enough, the Daily Mail reported that the princess had been living in a modest two-bedroom flat above an old chocolate factory not very far from the palace before departing for her SA trip. Could she have returned here?
Whether it’s a trial separation of sorts, it comes following allegations that Prince Albert had fathered a child with a Brazilian woman when he and Charlene had already embarked on a relationship.