Princess Charlene finally returned to Monaco on Monday morning. She left South Africa on Sunday and flew into Nice, in the South of France. It’s just a short journey from Nice to Monaco, and reportedly Albert and the kids were waiting for her in Nice. Once they got back to the Prince’s Palace (Palais Princier de Monaco), the family posed for photos which definitely gave off a proof-of-life vibe. And thus ends one of the most bizarre chapters of the Grimaldis.
For her grand return to the principality, Charlene wore a $3175 Loro Piana knitted dress with a Prada coat and a crossbody bag by Polo Ralph Lauren. It all looked pretty awful. She doesn’t know what to do with her hair either – in the eleven months since she got that tragique skaterboi haircut, she’s had plenty of time to grow it out and get a different hairstyle. Instead, she kept it super-short and she’s no longer blonde. There’s gossip around Monaco that Albert prefers her to be blonde, with longer hair, so he probably hates this. But hey, she did look comfortable, I guess.
A royal spokesperson told the press ahead of her return: “The princess is in a good mood and is looking forward to returning home, while Charlene’s father, Mike Wittstock, was overjoyed that his daughter is returning to Monaco. ‘Thank God she is back home,’ he said.” WTF?
I’d still like to know what’s going on with the big dog.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Instagram.
I like her outfit, this is the sort of loose chic clothing with a sensible flat boot I typically wear in fall if I’m just out and about. I do describe my look frequently as Daytime Vampire, so I get it’s not for everybody. But it looks cool and urban, women don’t have to show off their figures constantly to look attractive
I like the dress, but it kind of looks like she forgot to take off her smock after getting her hair done.
@Jillian
“Daytime Vampire”
yasssssss
I am ALWAYS in black when I have to venture out of the house (ewwww PEOPLE!) and I am going to refer to my look this way from now on with your kind permission. I will, of course, give you all the credit
I think she looks modern and chic. I would wear that outfit if I lived in a climate cold enough to need it
her outfit has an angelina jolie vibe. I like it.
The outfit would not be my choice for a pap photograph but it is pretty chic and very much in style.
I also loved the outfit, especially the handbag. She and I are about the same height and I have trouble finding long crossbodies, which this one is. I see that it’s Polo.
I absolutely love the outfil – everything. It’s warm, comfortable and – despite wrinkles on the coat – elegant. Would wear immediately.
I also like her hair. She looks very chic.
I love her outfit, especially those boots. Not crazy about the hair though
Outfit tries to camouflage her stunning weight loss.
Yeah, this. I don’t care how much it cost, it’s a bag on her.
Also does not look like she’s wearing her wedding ring.
could be too big because of the weight loss?
Ive been trying to think of who he reminds me of for awhile now. If youve ever seen the first episode of black mirror where the Prime Minister has to have relations with a pig….
He looks like that guy
Oh my!
Oh my indeed!! Now I have to look up shots from the series!
No i am not wishing divorce on anyone. However i am curious to know should there be a divorce does she get the same English Royal custody deal like Diana as in the kids belong to the Crown (?).
I know, I have the same inquiries. Unfortunately, given the massive pr!ck Albert is, he would require full custody due to their positions as heirs. Plus, if Charlene left him, he would be the worst type of man that you divorce. He would create and demand everything due to the utter thought of anyone dare divorce HIM!! His ego would marginally gutted, but he would recover and still be an awful human being, man, father, husband and vile “man”. Albert would want to destroy Charlene, unfortunately.
Also, question for every one to answer, WTF was that comment her father made, “thank god she is back home”….
Actually, I like all the pieces and I love the idea of a big squishy cashmere dress (plus, the cable detail on the sleeve). It’s hard to tell, but I wonder if the dress isn’t too big? There’s a line between oversized and wrong size.
The outfit is to camoflage the weighr loss. I mean a few thinga can be going on simultaneously: bad marriage AND seeking treatment for serious illness in South Africa. Treatment for serious illness AND planning your next steps.
I like the outfit, it looks like a comfy but chic travel outfit, but I also agree that its designed to hide weight loss.
I was one who said she was never going back to Monaco, so I stand corrected, but I also still think that she was sick AND she wanted a break from Albert and her life in Monaco (maybe as a negotiating tactic, maybe just to regroup emotionally, whatever). I think she went to South Africa intending to stay for a while and then got sick so had to stay for longer than she planned.
I would wear this outfit in a heartbeat. Her hair is not great but perhaps it was easier for surgeries?
I would love to wear every piece she has on! I would wear the hell out of those boots too!! The cashmere dress is a beautiful color and I love the detail on the sleeves too!! I bet it’s extremely comfortable!!
LOVE the boots! I want the whole look.
Many already mentioned that her outfit might have been chosen to cover weight lose and i think the similar thing might be said for her haircut. If she was ill for a long time she might have experienced hair loss that’s more noticable when it’s longer. Also it’s really hard then to grow them out because they are either falling out quicky or the growth is very small or both. They still might have been cut better but maybe haircut was the last thing on her mind
I like the hair and the outfit.
Me too! I think she looks cool! But maybe cool isn’t the right look for a Royal.
She had brain surgeries so it’s normal that her hair is still very short.
The reports are that she’s had ENT surgeries though? She wouldn’t need her hair shaved or short for those.
In terms of medical purposes, that depends on where she may have needed to have drains placed after the surgery(ies). Also having shorter hair when you’re in the hospital and not able to wash it that often or that easily is just more practical.
All the best to Charlene. I’m not fussed about what she’s wearing. The fact that they felt to document her departure from South Africa as well as her arrival to Nice was an eye opener for me.
Why is she the only one wearing a mask? These people are so weird. I feel bad for these kids.
I wear a mask everywhere, doubled actually, and I use it to protect myself as I have a weakened immune system. I catch a cold and it lasts 4x’s longer than everyone else. I imagine to protect her immune system, I applaud her for doing so.
@ Bros
My biggest guess would be since she’s been so ill that her immune system had definitely taken a major hit and she’s been advised/decided to? My own immune system is compromised so I am still wearing a mask everywhere out in public.
she wasnt in any of the pics in south africa when they visited, so that’s why I am asking. she wasnt in the pics inside her house in SA either where she was obviously ill or whatever.
If she is wearing a mask due to weakened immunity, Albert should be wearing one to help protect her as well (as should others around her).
@OriginalLala
I totally agree with you, but seeing as how he’s an arrogant twit he probably feels it’s all on her
Really like the outfit, it’s urban chic, and also the hair.
I like the outfit but really want the boots!
Best of health (physical and mental) to Charlene. I know how hard it is to be in a relationship that it is hard to get out of.
Are you okay now?
Thank you! Good days and bad but hanging in there!
I still believe she’s a cancer patient. The weight loss, the hair loss, the mask. She’s very unwell. I had a bone marrow transplant last year, so I know the look intimately.
I think the same. I hope she continues to get well.
Best wishes to her. It’s hard and frustrating to be so sick. And other people who have never dealt with that truly don’t understand. Dealing with the public, the press, and that husband, on top of the illness, I can’t imagine the stress. Hopefully she has a quiet space of her own to retreat to in that palace/mansion.
WTH is up with her daughter’s bangs?
She chopped them off herself a while back. Charlene had to cut them really short to make them look semi presentable. They’re starting to grow back.
When my daughter was two she went to town on her bangs with a kids scissors. Cut them so short you could see her scalp. Took months to look normal.
I believe Charlene’s family live and work in Monaco (and have their positions given by Albert/through her marriage to him) so it could explain her father’s comments. And another reason why divorce would be difficult for Charlene.
Yeah her parents and one of her brothers have been in Monaco for awhile. She may have other relatives in South Africa but most of her core family is in Monaco.
The dog looks like a vizsla, which is a hunting breed. It’s also a very high energy dog and can be stubborn, which all means that if you get one, you need to give it a LOT of exercise and training.
Vizslas are great dogs, but not exactly what I would have chosen if I had been sick and still recovering. I hope she has a lot of help with that dog.
That pooch needs to be in a harness bc he hasn’t learned to walk calmly/not strain. He’s going to choke himself.
Or maybe a martingale collar. Yes, it’s a Visla for sure. Beautiful dogs.
Looks exactly like a Rhodesian Ridgeback to me, which would make a lot of sense as far as dog breeds go. Fantastic family dogs so I hope she gets a lot of enjoyment out of him.
I noticed that too. Certainly they have the money for a dog trainer if needed.
(As a side note, I thought it was very diplomatic how you worded your comment. It’s not really within the dog’s scope to train itself lol.)
It’s a Rhodesian Ridgeback, you can tell by the hair along its spine which runs backwards to the other hair. They can be strong willed, independent, and sometimes domineering, and need a lot of firm guidance and training, but they are protective and affectionate with those they trust.
I just got an ill-advised short haircut become recent illness. The medication made my hair fall out/break, so I had to cut it. I wonder if this is the same for Charlene. I don’t like it short, but it’s easier to camouflage the hair loss.
I think her hair just looks like she’s expressing herself. She seems comfortable and like herself with this look. Almost aggressively herself, as if she’s making a point.
The French newspaper Nice-Matin said she got the Rhodesian Ridgeback in South Africa after her chihuahua was run over by a car in October. Not sure if the chihuahua got run over in Monaco or South Africa but we know it happened because Charlene posted about it to her Instagram on October 26.
Her outfit is great. Really in style, really chic. Loose clothes where it’s all about the fabric are the look now (or it is in big cities, anyway) and I love it. Both for wearing and for looking at.
Take this with a grain of salt:
RoyalFoibles says the gossip around Monaco is that she is in the throws of serious addiction. Apparently she has been in and out of rehab(s). Supposedly one of her drugs of choice necessitated surgery on the nasal passages, if you know what I mean. I hope that she gets the support she clearly needs. When petite women get those large dogs, I sometimes wonder if they need them to feel safe. If it is an emotional support animal, I hope it helps her.
It would explain the odd quote from her father…
which was what???
“The princess is in a good mood and is looking forward to returning home, while Charlene’s father, Mike Wittstock, was overjoyed that his daughter is returning to Monaco. ‘Thank God she is back home,’ he said.”
I don’t understand how that quote is weird to be honest ?
I think RoyalFoibles is right in this case (can’t stand the nasty courtier gossip about Meghan he repeats uncritically, but I digress). Before we heard about Charlene’s surgery, I initially wondered if she had left Monaco for an extended rehab program. She was very obviously intoxicated at the Princess Grace awards a few years ago & she didn’t really stick around or do the gladhanding that they expect at these things. The organizers were furious.
For all of her privilege, she seems to live a very sad, lonely life. I hope she can get the help she needs.
The Vizsla definitely needs a LOT of exercise. I hope she is ready to walk/run with him! They are known as the Velcro Vizsla, they want to always be close to their person. If she bonds with him, he will be an excellent, loyal emotional support dog. My Vizsla girl is snuggled up to me now and she is wonderful. Also good for my mental health because she makes me have more structure in my days.
Charlene’s is a Rhodesian Ridgeback, I think. Still needs to proper training & discipline, but should be less work than a Vizsla. Good on you for keeping your girl busy! I couldn’t handle a Vizsla, though I know the people can say they’re wonderful dogs.
Lizzie, I’m seeing mixed reports of whether it’s a Vizsla or a Ridgeback. People says Ridgeback and Hello says Vizsla. He looks exactly like my girl, so I say Vizsla. People also says his name is Khan! No matter, I hope she bonds to this dog and he helps her be happier and healthier.
Pup is a gorgeous Rhodesian Ridgeback, they were bred to keep lions at bay, mostly for colonial hunters. Stubborn, wonderful hearts.
I hate the outfit but wish her happiness, she looks much thinner in the face and neck area.
I cannot stand her husband.
Wishing her a full recovery. Being sick for 6 months sounds like hell. Her kids need her. Hoping for the best.
To me, she looks fierce and independent (and certainly much better than a certain button wearer we all know!). This is a woman taking back who she is, regardless of what preceded it. The husband definitely seems even more out of his league than he was before. Wishing her both health and freedom … in abundance.
She looks chic. This is how people in New York dress now. Her weird hair actually works with that outfit too. I just don’t understand the whole thing in context of being a princess in Monaco.