In May of 2021, Princess Charlène of Monaco embarked in a trip to her native South Africa, to carry out work on conservation with her Foundation.
Little did she know, but that trip would be the last she was able to undertake in a very long time.
On the day she was supposed to attend a Formula1 event in Monaco, the Princely Palace released a note saying that she had to stay in South Africa because of an ENT [Ear, Nose and Throat] infection.
In a later interview to a radio show, she revealed that her infection was due to a dental operation to implant a prothesis. The Princess had to have her gums altered, and that surgery led to a serious infection, complicated by the airplane journey.
At some point in June, Prince Albert and their children, 6-years-old twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, made the trip to South Africa to visit Charlène.
Towards the end of June, British tabloid Daily Mail reported that Charlène had to be hospitalised in South Africa to undergo a surgical procedure to help with the infection and the Princely Palace confirmed that the Sovereign and his wife would not be able to spend their 10th wedding anniversary together.
Around the 1st of July, Princess Charlène gave an interview to Channel24, stating that spending their wedding anniversary apart for the first time was really hard and made her sad. She had nothing but loving words for her husband and her family, saying “Albert is my rock. Without his strength and love, I don’t think I could have gotten through this painful time”.
A few days after, she shared a few pictures on her Instagram account showing her on video chat with her family in Monaco. In two of them, her children can be seen on her phone screen sending virtual kisses.
On the 30th of July, during an interview with South Africa Radio 702, she shared that she might be able to return to Monaco in October, when she gets the medical clearance to travel by air to return to Europe. During the interview, she also expressed her wish that her family may visit her again, although she said it will depend on South Africa’s political situation.
