Last November, Princess Charlene of Monaco sought medical treatment in Switzerland (reportedly). She spent the bulk of 2021 grounded in South Africa, dealing with what sounded like a hellish ENT infection. The infection left her unable to fly and she reportedly lost a great deal of weight. Even when she was cleared to return to Monaco, she did not seem well. So Albert sent her off to get treatment, and she stayed in Switzerland for four months or so. She came back to Monaco in March. We saw her for the first time in the family’s Easter portraits, where the body language didn’t look good between Charlene and Albert whatsoever.
So these are the first candid photos we’ve had of Charlene since her initial return to Monaco last November. Charlene, Prince Albert and their twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, attended the Formula E championship Saturday and Charlene was tasked with handing out the trophies. She didn’t look happy to be there at all. She mostly stayed in one place on the dais, with her arms around her daughter Gabriella.
I will say this though: her hair has greatly improved. Before the months spent in South Africa, Charlene had gotten a punked-out skaterboi haircut, half-shaved and not all that cute. Many called her new look a “cry for help” hairstyle. But now it looks quite chic – this is basically a Michelle Williams-esque pixie dyed platinum blonde. I’m shocked by how good this style looks on her. That being said, she looks so, so sad.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their kids at the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Pictured: Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their kids at the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Pictured: Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their kids at the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Pictured: Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their kids at the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Pictured: Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their kids at the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Pictured: Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their children at the “Monaco ePrix” championship awards ceremony in Monaco. Pictured: Prince Albert II of Monaco, Monaco ePrix BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their children at the “Monaco ePrix” championship awards ceremony in Monaco. Pictured: Princess Charlene BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their children at the “Monaco ePrix” championship awards ceremony in Monaco. Pictured: Princess Charlene BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Monaco, MONACO – Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene and their children at the “Monaco ePrix” championship awards ceremony in Monaco. Pictured: Princess Charlene BACKGRID USA 30 APRIL 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
She does look so sad and I feel for her. I wonder what makes her happy? What could bring her joy? Besides getting mental help through a therapist. Her children? Any charitable endeavors? Spirituality? That husband of hers is disgusting and she’s not leaving him.
I hope she can find something.
The only time I can ever remembering her smile was during the F1 Monaco GP. That is why I knew something was up last year when she was missing from the podium.
She really loves swimming, since she’s a former Olympic athlete, and she seems happy & engaged when she’s participating in various children’s swimming programs/events.
Charlene always looks so sad, it makes me feel for her. I hope she gets to be who she really is one day.
I’m old and remember in the final years of Diana and Charles’ marriage and how miserable she looked. Charlene looks even more miserable and sad. I feel for her and her children and hope she is someday, somehow able to find peace.
My goodness, she looks so sad, my heart breaks for her.
She honestly looks ever miserable. I think Albert ‘wont’ let her go no matter what. Especially with his messy past and scandals ,he needs to maintain the perfect family picture before he is King.
He is the sovereign prince.. There’s no king in Monaco. It’s a principality.
Ohh ok thanks. Yeah whatever the role,he seems determined.
There is no “king” in Monaco. Albert is already in charge since his father died. There is definitely a weird vibe with that family though. Who knows what’s really going on? Money hides a lot of messiness for sure.
I think any talk of her leaving ends when Albert brings up the issue of custody. Hopefully, they can co exist separately and peacefully. She does look miserable, though.
She looks very healthy but really sad. I suspect Albert told her she had to make this appearance.
These pictures are so heartbreaking to look at. She looks like a person that has given up all hope. They should not be having her do appearances or hand out trophies anywhere! It shows how little they care about her that she is having to do this in her state. They should just let her be. I know the public is getting impatient with her being away so long but she is obviously not doing well. Surely they could have found someone else to hand out trophies at the races.
Totally agree. One can see the oozing unhappiness.
She is beautiful and well dressed but…….
I pray that she finds joy.
I am with you, she looks heartrendingly miserable.
Style wise she looks great. I love the cut, makeup, and suit. But she looks miserable and has no light behind her eyes. I worry for her.
She does have a great sense of style, I think, plus being so tall & having the lanky swimmer’s body means she can look good in pretty much anything. And I love this pixie cut on her, as well as the platinum blonde. That cut is the cut I always ask for–I started using Michelle Williams as a reference at the hair salon as most stylists today are too young to remember Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby–but I never look quite that good! I don’t have the hair for it, but I like it anyway. Super easy, particularly for swimming.
She looks so overwhelmingly sad. And if it’s true her expression is due to Albert having the iron grip of a dictator as Sovereign Prince and refusing to let her go in spite of her wish to (or any previously struck bargain allowing her to), my goodness.
On the plus side, she looks healthy, and I am glad she looks more physically okay. But mentally, she does not at all.
I really like this haircut/color on her! On other sites I did see photos of her smiling and looking like she was having an okay time.
I agree, her hair looks amazing. Also the photos used here serve the narrative of ‘sad princess’ that we all like to indulge in on this site. I just searched for other images from the event and she did smile.
Victoria Beckham hates her smile and never smiles so maybe Charlene is similar?
Charlene looks great in the fashion sense but she looks like she’s about to burst into tears any second. I wonder what her issues are.
Health wise she looks so much better, but goodness the sadness hits you like a punch in the face. At least the kids send relatively happy.
@ Liz Version 700, when I look at her, with her extreme sadness, I feel a punch in my gut. Life is short and no one should have to live like this. No matter who you are married to, job, partner or profession, try to take steps to get out of you are unhappy. Life is too short.
Both sides now I 💯 agree
Oh my gosh she breaks my heart! I’m sure she has the support she needs but gosh, that’s more than just a resting sad face.
The hair is gorgeous though, and those kids are so cute and always seem so happy and loved in what must be a strange household at times.
Her makeup looks so good. Either she had help or did it herself but it is a positive sign that she’s feeling better. Taking care of your appearance is a step toward recovery, I’ve been told.
She looks close to tears. So sad for her.
Her son is the spitting image of her. He looks so unhappy most of the time, too.
I hope she finds genuine happiness soon.
Albert of Monaco is or was a personal friend of Vladimir Putin (although Monaco has issued sanctions against oligarchs in the past few months). I would (sadly) believe anything of him.
Monaco – a sunny place for shady people.
The sadness of these pictures remind me of her wedding day.
She does look terribly sad, but at least she no longer looks like a terminally ill person, like she did in the SA pictures.
Think very carefully ladies before you marry into royalty because this is a picture of true unhappiness. Charlene should leave and look after herself properly away from the circus.
She looks physically healthier which is good. Everyone here says she looks sad and she may very well be, but I guess I’ve never seen her when she doesn’t look sad. I’ve always assumed part of it is she has resting sad face.
Royalty just seems like one giant hostage situation to me these days.
this is really sad. She looks stuffed with fillers and so much Botox that her face really can’t move, but the dead eyes are a giveaway.
That’s just it. She’s done so much surgically to her face over the years that it just doesn’t move as a ‘normal’ face would. And she’s so pretty! It was all so unnecessary. It’s all in her eyes now.
She definitely seems to have something serious going in. However, I wouldn’t judge on her facial expression (singular) alone. She has so many fillers and Botox that her face *cant* move. Kate Middleton is the same way, she can’t smile with her eyes, only her teeth. Makes her look very cold.
This is so tragic. I feel like I want a Seal Team Six team to swoop in and rescue the children and her. Something really bad is going on. If she looks this miserable in a posed portrait, imagine how bad it is for real.
Reports are that her parents and a sibling reside in Monaco. If she wanted to be rescued she knows who to call. If she’s staying for the children, that’s her call. She’s a grown up lady who has my sympathy but deserves her space to work this out.
Her parents and brother live in Monaco due to Albert’s money allegedly, so it’s questionable as to whether they would help her at the risk of being cut off.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in motion. Is she really sad (yes, I’ve read about her marriage, etc. ) or has she maybe frozen her face with beauty treatments?
I ask because she came back. If she was really that miserable, why didn’t she stay in Africa?
I imagine the combination of having Albert’s former mistress and illegitimate son thrown in her face publicly plus the horrific ENT infection were just too much for her to handle and she had some kind of emotional breakdown or dropped into a deep depression, maybe even developed an ED. I hope she’s well now but it’s clear she’s not happy. Who would be with that philandering baby factory of a husband…
Why does Albert insist on these photos being made?
She looks deeply unhappy. The children must be confused by these public showings, I would think they know how miserable their Mom is.
In the future at public events, why not simply have Albert attend?
Let her and the kids lead private lives.
It is all a show anyway, no one believes or cares if this marriage is over.
She looks trapped and she is. There is an extreme imbalance of power in this relationship and while I guess that’s the way it is when you marry into royalty it’s entirely unfair. The fact that she seemed to realize this before the wedding and try to escape, and the fact that they wouldn’t let her, it makes me just so sad for her.
She’s at least gained some weight but looks very unhealthy to me, still frail or depressed or rehabbing from an eating disorder, something. It’s disturbing to see a public figure putting in an appearance like this. She should be allowed to recover in private, assuming this is being forced on her
The sadness in her face reminds me so much of being in a toxic relationship myself. I feel for her
She looks either miserable or repulsed. She does look healthier, gained some weight. The hair is ok, but not really into it. The look on her face though, like she’d rather be anywhere else but standing next to that controlling man.
I would say she should return to South Africa with or without the kids. I believe whatever is happening to her in Monaco is literally killing her. The kids will be fine with Albert, who will have 24/7 nannies. She can do Zoom calls with the kids nightly. If she is extremely depressed or even dying, how is it doing the kids or her any good? She needs to get herself healthy and happy again. Then lawyer up in South Africa to arrange divorce/child custody issues. There is no reason on God’s green Earth that she has to be imprisoned in Monaco like she is, metaphorically or literally.
I don’t know why people insult her hair styles- yes they aren’t “typical” but she can pull them off! She looks amazing with her punky hair.
It’s 2022- can’t we f’in let women do their hair without commenting on it. Jeez. Everyone needs to seriously be more progressive.
Hear hear!!
I think her hair and makeup look great, but her expression seems…medicated. Too much klonopin.
I can’t muster very much sympathy for her. Although Albert is a d*ck and a womanizer, I feel bad for him, his children, and the people of Monaco that are having to endure these public displays of sadness. She knew Albert’s reputation. She presumably got to know the man before she agreed to marry him. She understood the role. Her unhappiness was predictable, and even she had a good cry about it on her wedding day. I appreciate that she wishes she had a different life now, but the fact is that she is the one trying to force a change to the terms of their agreement. This was always going to be a glamorous prison of a life. Choices, consequences. Sorry not sorry.
All of these royal marriages seem to volitionally cede happiness for wealth and power, and I just really cannot wrap my mind around such an idea.
I seriously don’t get it. What is the point of bringing her out looking this miserable? It’s really bad PR.
Can someone explain to me why she is so unhappy and why she can’t leave her marriage with Albert? Why was she forced to get married while crying? Why did all of this happen? She looks so unhappy, and I feel for her.